Catholic justice upholds importance of judicial independence

Published: 2005-07-05

ORLANDO, Fla. (CNS) -- A Catholic justice on the U.S. Supreme Court termed judicial independence "a valuable cornerstone of the Constitution" in a talk to the general assembly of the Florida Bar. "Judges' decisions are subject to criticism -- that is well and good. Ideas cannot survive without debate and questioning," Justice Anthony Kennedy told the 450 lawyers gathered at the June 24 assembly. "But if judicial independence is subject to disengagement by the bar, disinterest on the part of the people, scorn on the part of the critics, then this valuable cornerstone of our constitutional system is at risk," he added. "You should not put constitutional structures at risk. History shows that, if they are destroyed, they won't easily come back." Florida members of the bar gathered at the Marriott World Center in Orlando for their annual meeting June 22-25.

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