"In a number of cases dissenting opinions have in time become the law"

This quote by Charles Evans Hughes is describing the power of dissenting opinions in the legal system. A dissenting opinion is when a judge disagrees with the majority opinion of the court and composes a separate viewpoint. In many cases, these dissenting opinions can end up being the unwritten law. This is due to the fact that the dissenting viewpoint can be convincing adequate to influence the general public and the legal system, and ultimately end up being the accepted viewpoint. This is an essential suggestion that dissenting viewpoints can have an effective influence on the law, even if they are not initially accepted by the majority. This quote is a pointer that dissenting viewpoints must not be dismissed, as they can have an enduring effect on the law.