Hopkins County Bar Association hosted a small gathering of members, judges and community members at the courthouse Friday in celebration of Law Day 2021. While Law Day is actually May 1, it falls on Saturday this year, so HCBA hosted a recognition event Friday, joined by the county and county-court-at-law judges, in proclaiming Saturday, May 1, 2021 as Law Day 2021.
Hopkins County Bar Assocation President Bryan White, of Roper and White Attorneys At Law, Friday noted that until he joined the local association he was unaware of the day or its significance. Law Day, however, has been observed for more than 60 years, is actually a national day, and serves an important function, the attorney said.
Law Day was established in 1957 the American Bar Assocation started the concept of Law Day to celebrate the American legal system. In1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower establed Law Day a national daydedicated to the principles of government and law. Congress then in 1961 designated May 1 as the official date for celebrating the rule of law with the purpose of reminding us all that we the people share the responsibility to promote the rule of law, defend liberty, and pursue justice, White explained.
The 2021 Law Day theme is “Advancing the Rule of Law Now,” the HCBA president noted.
“The purpose specifially is to remind all of that we the people share the esponsibility to promote the Rule of Law and liberty in the pursuit of justice,” White noted. “It provides an opportunity for us to understand the law and how the legal process protect our liberty, strive to achieve justice and contribute to the freedoms that all Americans share.”
The Declaration of Independence and Constitution, Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom said, are the bedrock of America.
“If we ever lose our constitutional protections, America is in trouble. So today, Law Day is appropriate,” Newsom said. This Rule of Law, he added, is “a fundamental concept undergirding justice, freedom and representative government,” designed ot expand rather htan limit freedoms.
The Rule of Law is built around the idea that no one is so important as to be above the law, meaning there must be limits on governemnt officials, who must be held accountable for their actions. Conversely, no one is so insignificant to be beneath the rule of law. Separation of the three branches of government preserve the rule of law, making an independent judiciary essential to a free society and administration of laws, the county judge noted.
“A viable democracy requires understanding of the nature and basis of our freedoms and recognition of the individual responsibilities which those freedoms impose,” Newsom read from a proclamation officially designating May 1, 2021 as Law Day in Hopkins County. “The Rule of Law requires an educated citizenry that understands our history, our laws, and demonstrates engaged citizenship.”
Newsom urges “everyone to observe this day by deepening their understanding of the Rule of Law and dedicating themselves to advancing the Rule of Law now to strengthen our democracy, defend libery, and pursue justice.”
“The lawyers of our comunity uphold this concept of Constitutional law and whether we realize it or not, in every case we have, our Constitution shines, wakes up. So we want our Constitution to be what stands as the bedrock of our constitutional republic,” Newsom added.
The county judge asked the judges and attorneys present to join him for a photo to officially mark their stand for Law Day and the Rule of Law.
The Law Day 2021 observance was hosted by Hopkins County Bar Association, a group of local attorneys in Hopkins County that get together from all types of law practice areas to do various things in the community. Attorneys here are invested in this community and to promoting law specifically.
