In this lecture, Chancellor Strine reflects on the duty of a public official to respect the rules of law established through the constitutional process even when the rule of law conflicts the official’s own views. In his nearly quarter century of public service, Chancellor Strine – who opposes capital punishment – has had to address that troubling subject at close range, in three very different capacities – as Counsel to Delaware’s Governor during a period when seven executions occurred, as a member of the State’s Board of Pardons handling an application to commute a death sentence, and as an appellate judge reviewing whether a trial court properly imposed capital punishment. The lecture will focus on how the specific duty owed influenced Chancellor’s Strine approach to the performance of his duties, and suggest that there is continuing democracy-enforcing value to recognition by public officials that legitimately enacted laws must trump personal preference.

This event is reserved for Stanford Faculty, Fellows, Staff and Students. Space is limited. Please register early.

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