A union of government and religion tends to destroy government and degrade religion.
There can be no equal justice where the kind of trial a man gets depends on the amount of money he has.
Freedom of speech means that you shall not do something to people either for the views they have, or the views they express, or the words they speak or write.
The Court stands against any winds that blow as havens of refuge for those who might otherwise suffer because they are helpless, weak, outnumbered, or because they are nonconforming victims of prejudice or public excitement.
Only a free and unrestrained press can effectively expose deception in government.
An unconditional right to say what one pleases about public affairs is what I consider to be the minimum guarantee of the First Amendment.
The Framers of the Constitution knew that free speech is the friend of change and revolution. But they also knew that it is always the deadliest enemy of tyranny.
No higher duty, or more solemn responsibility, rests upon this Court than that of translating into living law and maintaining this constitutional shield deliberately planned and inscribed for the benefit of every human being subject to our Constitution-of whatever race, creed or persuasion.
The press was to serve the governed, not the governors.
The very first condition of lasting happiness is that a life should be full of purpose, aiming at something outside self.
No person can be punished for entertaining or professing religious beliefs or disbeliefs, for church attendance or nonattendance.
It would degrade our country and our judicial system to permit our courts to be bullied, insulted and humiliated and the orderly progress thwarted and obstructed by defendants brought before them charged with crimes.
We believe trial judges confronted with disruptive, contumacious, stubbornly defiant defendants must be given sufficient discretion to meet the circumstances in each case.
Laws are made to protect the trusting as well as the suspicious.
Criticism of government finds sanctuary in several portions of the 1st Amendment. It is part of the right of free speech. It embraces freedom of the press.
Freedom to speak and write about public questions is as important to the life of our government as is the heart to the human body. In fact, this privilege is the heart of our government. If that heart be weakened, the result is debilitation; if it be stilled, the result is death.
I am for the First Amendment from the first word to the last. I believe it means what it says.