[Ads-l] activist judges

[Jonathan Lighter]

Earlier:

1968 _Sun_ (Baltimore) (Apr. 1) A12: Mr. Justicre Black's discussion in
formal lectures of the "activist" judges is one more sign of an increasing
national introspection.

My own recollection is that the term became especially popular during the
Carter administration.

JL

On Tue, Oct 2, 2018 at 1:28 PM Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Judges were thought to have inclinations. Now they're expected to have
> agendas.
>
> The turning point toward cynicism may have come with the popular
> circulation of the phrase "activist judges."
>
> I did a newspaper search, and the result was about what I'd expected:
>
> 1970 _Times-Picayune_ (N.O.)  (Aug. 6) 26: An "activist" judge, he said,
> may rule...against the Legislature's will.
>
> 1972 _Times-Picayune_ (N.O.) (Aug, 12) 21: To replace him with an
> "activist judge," who would not be complacent with things as they are, who
> would put principle before expediency, who would not fear to speak out even
> if he had to stand alone, who would use the power and prestige of his
> office both to battle crime and defend the Bill of Rights, who would fight
> on the front lines of judicial reform, and not cower in the rear until the
> battles were almost won.
>
> ...
> 1978 _Plain Dealer_ (Cleveland, O.) (Dec. 17) VI 7:  Furthermore, the
> activist judge is usually faced with defiant public officials who attempt
> to discredit the court, often charging that the judge is an unresponsive
> and unelected decision maker.
>
> JL
>
> --
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>


-- 
"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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