It seems like some people can get away with anything. Most people, however, are much less lucky.
We all know that one person who just never has to face the consequences of their actions. They can do anything without drawing any unwanted attention.
Nonetheless, at some point, the majority of those people tend to reap what they’ve sown. While these folks may feel safe and sound after years without anyone taking notice, reality eventually catches up to them.
It doesn’t matter how popular, moral, or likable a person may be, if they’ve broken the rules, then they will have to answer for it because justice is blind.
What Is the Meaning of “Justice Is Blind”?
The phrase “justice is blind” means that in a court of law, a person is tried on facts and evidence. Judges, juries, and law enforcement professionals aren’t supposed to pick favorites or rule for whomever they like the most. Instead, they have to take an unbiased approach and make an impartial decision with the information available to them.
How to Properly Use the expression “Justice Is Blind”
“Justice is blind” is suitable for any setting and will be understood by any generation, and it’s especially common when referring to legal proceedings.
However, it’s appropriate for any situation where people are being held accountable to the rules. The phrase is just as relevant in a corporate disciplinary hearing as it is in a court of law, but it may sound somewhat excessive in less serious contexts.
Sally is Jim’s manager, and Ron is a corporate HR representative. Jim and Sally are friends, but Jim has been late for work too many times this month, so he has to go to a disciplinary hearing with Sally and Ron.
Ron: We are going to start the disciplinary hearing. Sally, since the corporate office knows that you and Jim are friends, they want me to make the final judgment so that everything is impartial. I hope that you understand.
Sally: That makes sense. Justice is blind, so they don’t want my friendship with Jim to get in the way of a fair judgment.
Since Jim and Sally are friends, it would not be fair for her to have the final judgment on his case.
There is a risk that she would be more lenient with Jim than she would be with another worker at the office, so that’s why Ron has to determine the penalties for Jim’s poor attendance.
Justice is blind, so it’s important to make unbiased decisions when dealing with other people. In the next example, a judge is trying to pick a jury, and he’s discussing some of the candidates with one of the attorneys.
Attorney: This potential juror is distantly related to the candidate, so I’m not sure if we should pick him.
Judge: I agree. While they may not even know each other very well, justice can only be blind if there is no doubt that each juror is completely impartial.
Note how this phrase was modified to say that “justice can only be blind” under certain co
Symbolism of “Justice Is Blind”
This phrase has been personified for millennia in a few different cultures’ gods and is often depicted in various forms of art.
Since the mid-1500s, the ancient Roman goddess Justitia, who had been modeled after a similar Greek Goddess, has often been depicted holding a balanced scale while wearing a blindfold and carrying a sword in several paintings, statues, and other works of art.
In ancient times, variations of her without the blindfold were depicted on coinage and in art, so the blindfold is a more recent addition.
Statues of Justitia, also referred to as “Lady Justice,” can be found in Honk Kong, the United States, Switzerland, England, and many other countries, most often near courthouses, monuments, and public buildings.
In these depictions, the blindfold symbolizes the unbiased nature of the law, and the scale represents the balance of evidence, and the sword represents the power to quickly and efficiently carry out justice.
Therefore, the phrase “justice is blind” has been heavily influenced by these depictions.
The Difference between “Justice Is Blind” and “Blind Justice”
The idea of “blind justice” was inspired by the ancient depictions of Justitia and is closely related to the phrase “justice is blind.”
While “justice is blind” is a statement of value, “blind justice” is a noun that can be used to describe instances of legal impartiality.
Since justice is blind, courts and governments are expected to apply blind justice when enforcing the law. In the following example, an interviewer questioning a new governor about how she is going to make her state safer.
Interviewer: Whether you agree or not, some people think that this state is not a good place to raise a family, so how are you going to make the state safer to attract businesses and talented professionals?
Governor: Sadly, many of this state’s laws were not properly enforced by the previous administration, and the effects on our state have not been ideal.
reforming the courts and relevant laws so that we can better implement blind justice, our towns and cities will be much safer.
Justice is blind, so no matter how rich or well connected a defendant might be, everybody will be equally accountable for their actions in the eyes of the law.
Hey fellow Linguaholics! It’s me, Marcel. I am the proud owner of linguaholic.com. Languages have always been my passion and I have studied Linguistics, Computational Linguistics and Sinology at the University of Zurich. It is my utmost pleasure to share with all of you guys what I know about languages and linguistics in general.