White, Ken -- “Fault Lines” blog, Mimeslaw.com (8 Jun 2016)

Dave — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 22:28:13 +0000

Despite what Hollywood would lead you to believe, we criminal defense attorneys do not advocate lenient sentences for all wrongdoers as a matter of policy. […] Our role is to stand beside our clients, no matter who they are or what they did, and be their advocates, the one person required to plead their case and argue their interests. This is the closest our society comes to grace or humility. It’s grace because we give this support to defendants whether they deserve it by any objective measure, and it’s humility because we know the system is so capable of grave error in accusing and punishing.

Ken White (b. c. 1969) American constitutional and criminal attorney, prosecutor, blogger
“Fault Lines” blog, Mimeslaw.com (8 Jun 2016)

White, Ken -- Twitter (2022-09-13)

Dave — Thu, 30 May 2024 16:41:25 +0000

If you look at someone and see no reasonable probability you’ll ever have a positive or instructive interaction with them, block now and move on.

Ken White (b. c. 1969) American constitutional and criminal attorney, prosecutor, blogger
Twitter (2022-09-13)

Commonly known as "The Popehat Rule" (after White's Twitter account handle). An earlier version reads:

Block early, block often, block whenever you feel "I think I would enjoy not knowing this person.
[Twitter (2022-06-23)]

This should not be confused with Popehat's Rule of Goats or Law of Goats, e.g.:

He who fucks goats, either as part of a performance or to troll those he deems has overly delicate sensibilities, is simply a goatfucker.
[Urban Dictionary, "Popehat's Law of Goats"]

If you fuck goats because it upsets people you hate, you're still a goatfucker. Nobody cares that you're an insincere goatfucker.
[Twitter (2017-02-19)]

The Rule of Goats: even if you say you're only fucking goats ironically, you're still a goatfucker.
[Twitter (2017-04-30)]

If you kiss a goat, even if you say you’re doing it ironically, you’re still a goat-kisser.
["Is Alex Jones an extreme conspiracy theorist or a giant troll?" Los Angeles Times (2017-04-11) (Paraphrased "for this family newspaper")]

WIST Quotations

White, Ken -- “Fault Lines” blog, Mimeslaw.com (8 Jun 2016)

White, Ken -- Twitter (2022-09-13)