"Our starting place, inevitably, is Professor Herbert Wechsler's argument that the Court must not be merely a 'naked power organ,' which means that its decisions must be controlled by principle. 'A principled decision,' according to Wechsler, 'is one that rests on reasons * * * that in their generality and their neutrality transcend any immediate result that is involved.' "​

Judge Robert H. Bork,
​quoting Professor Herbert Wechsler

Neutral Principles was created to promote the consistent and rigorous application of neutral legal principles emphasizing fidelity to the text and structure of the Constitution and laws regardless of outcome. Our mission is to apply traditionally conservative legal methods in a rigorously nonpartisan way—ensuring that both substantive and procedural constitutional safeguards against government overreach are upheld, regardless of shifting political winds.

Grounded in Principle, Not Politics

We advocate in defense of constitutional limits and the rule of law through the rigorous application of neutral, small-c conservative legal methods—like textualism, original public meaning, and separation of powers to check overreach and preserve the Constitution’s textual and structural guarantees of limited government.

Focus Areas

We focus on areas such as First Amendment freedoms, judicial independence, separation of powers, and the interaction between multiple and overlapping constitutional protections.