Law Matters: Reflections of Chief Justice Michael A. Wolff

Why the Rule of Law?

Discussion Questions

1. At the recent Third Congressional Conference on Civic Education, United States Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer said that as a nation our respect for the rule of law has “matured.” He cited the nation’s willingness to accept the Supreme Court’s 2000 Gore v. Bush decision as the “last word” on the 2000 presidential election as an excellent example of this maturity. Why do you think Justice Breyer considers this case and the nation’s reaction to it such an excellent example of how we are a people who believe in and follow the rule of law? Can you think of other historic examples where court decisions were slow to be followed or where military force had to be used to enforce the court’s decision?

2. How would travel on our streets and highways be impossible if we did not believe in the rule of law?