A Symphony of Wonderful Words

Celebrating the Fortuitous Poetry, Laudable Truisms, Merciless Snarks, & Endearing Irrelevant Prolixity in Legal Opinions.

Saturday, July 30, 2005

Insane

"The only evidence we have concerning this period is the fact that petitioner married his present guardian at some time within it, an act from which in the legal sense no inference of insanity can be drawn."-Justice Rutledge delivering the opinion of the Court in Galloway v. United States, 319 U.S. 372, 385 (1943)

Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Invisible Boomerangs

"I still think the Tax Court is a more competent and steady influence toward a systematic body of tax law than our sporadic omnipotence in a field beset with invisible boomerangs." -Justice Jackson dissenting in Arrowsmith v. Commissioner, 344 U.S. 6, 12 (1952)