Breyer also weighed in on the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Stephen Breyer served as an associate Justice on the United States Supreme Court from 1994 to 2022, when he retired. Since his retirement, the Supreme Court has been at the center of several controversies, not the least of which being the overturning of Roe v. Wade. This week, Breyer appeared in an interview with CNN’s Chris Wallace to discuss what being part of the most powerful court in the country is like.

“You start writing too rigidly and you will see, the world will come around and bite you in the back,” Breyer said. “Because you will find something you see just doesn’t work at all. And the Supreme Court, somewhat to the difference of others, has that kind of problem in spades.”

“Life is complex, life changes,” Breyer added. “And we want to maintain insofar as we can – everybody does – certain key moral political values: democracy, human rights, equality, rule of law, etc. To try to do that in an ever-changing world. If you think you can do that by writing 16 computer programs – I just disagree.”

Breyer also took a moment to discuss the overturning of Roe v. Wade, growing emotional when asked whether he approved of the ruling. “And you say did I like this Dobbs decision? Of course I didn’t. Of course I didn’t,” Breyer said.

“Was I happy about it? Not for an instant. Did I do everything I could to persuade people? Of course, of course. But there we are and now we go on. We try to work together.”