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Necessity creates the law, — it supersedes rules; and whatever is reasonable and just in such cases is likewise legal.

— William Scott, 1st Baron Stowell The Gratitude (1801)

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Justice

More quotes by William Scott, 1st Baron Stowell

Ambition breaks the ties of blood, and forgets the obligations of gratitude.

History of the Anti-Corn Law League (1853)

The elegant simplicity of the three per cents.

Lives of the Lord Chancellors (1845)

To learn what the laws of a country are, is not the work of a day even in pacific times, and to persons accustomed to legal enquiries.

Ruding v. Smith (1821)

A residence in a new country often introduces a change of legal condition, which imposes rights and obligations totally inconsistent with the former rights and obligations of the same persons.

The Slave Grace (1827)

In the first place, it is not improper to observe, that the law of cases of necessity is not likely to be well furnished with precise rules; necessity creates the law, it supersedes rules; and whatever is reasonable and just in such cases, is likewise legal; it is not to be considered as matter of surprise, therefore, if much instituted rule is not to be found on such subjects.

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: William Scott, 1st Baron Stowell (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.