The law does not expect a man to be prepared to defend every act of his life which may be suddenly and without notice alleged against him.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- People cannot be expected to prepare a defense for every possible accusation that might arise.
- In plain terms
- No one can plan for every attack that might happen against them.
- What can you take from it?
- Reasonable expectations limit legal preparedness.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What is a fair burden to bear?
- How do you handle surprise attacks?
Another view
Some roles require constant readiness regardless of surprise.
More from John Marshall
The people made the Constitution, and the people can unmake it. It is the creature of their own will, and lives only by their will.
Permalink to quote #2 The acme of judicial distinction means the ability to look a lawyer straight in the eyes for two hours and not hear a damned word he says.
Permalink to quote #4 It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is...If two laws conflict with each other, the courts must decide on th…
Permalink to quote #1
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