Benjamin Cardozo and American Natural Law Theory

Abstract

Unlike many Supreme Court Justices, Benjamin Cardozo led a rather humdrum existence outside of the courthouse, and it is quite clear that he was not especially interested in or adept at all versions of the game of social life. One wonders whether Cardozo was a man who was comfortable in his own skin. The Nature of the Judicial Process tells us that at least in one very important dimension of his life, he was indeed comfortable in his own skin, he was his own man, and he was quite unapologetic for who he was. The book and the lecture series that spawned it reveal a person supremely comfortable reflecting on what he did in his job, all in the knowledge that what he did in his job was good and right and indeed exemplary for those who hold that position. Sufficiently exemplary, indeed, to warrant a whole book of reflections on what he did. One might view this as immodesty on Cardozo’s part, but I view it quite the opposite way. Here was someone for whom the job of legal interpretation and appellate judging was a special comfort zone. And even within that comfort zone, there were multiple and quite sincere expressions of humility. Cardozo saw himself as a public servant lucky enough to have an interesting job that was of considerable importance to his state and his nation.