Hi Masatami ~
The quote you're referring to is attributed to Roy M Cohn, former
assistant to Joe McCarthy, and not Clarence Darrow.
The full quote, as attributed to Cohn is, "I don't want to know what
the law is,
I want to know who the judge is."
See:
* Quotations to Run Businesses and Live Life By
- http://www.advokatgruppen.dk/dansk/diverse/diverse/citater.htm
* Brainy Quotes:
- http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/r/roycohn100211.html
* Daily Quotes:
- http://www.mydailyfortune.com/quotes/quotes/r/q100211.html
However, the Fraser Institute ran a 1998 article by Owen Lippert
entitled "It's Time Parliament Reviewed Supreme Court Appointments"
(about the Canadian Supreme Court), in which Lippert paraphrased the
quotation to be exactly as you asked it, "... the Prime Minister
treats the Supreme Court scarcely differently than the notorious
American lawyer, Roy Cohn, did the American court system when he used
to say, "Don't tell me the law, tell me who the judge is."
- http://oldfraser.lexi.net/publications/forum/1998/march/judiciary.html#Par%202
Please note, though, he attributed the quote to Roy Cohn.
============
Roy Cohn gained notariety as McCarthy's assistant during Communist
scare of the 1950's, but was disbarred in New York for unethical
practices shortly before his death in 1986.
See: Bartleby.com
- http://www.bartleby.com/61/38/C0463800.html
Thanks for asking this interesting question - it gave me a chance to
chase down the source of a quotation I had heard more than once.
Regards,
Serenata |