Law Day Events

Maricopa County is proud to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Law Day by holding a panel discussion at the Maricopa County Superior Court. This event is sponsored by the State Bar of Arizona and Maricopa County Superior Court.

On May 1, 2008 a panel discussion will be held at Board of Supervisors Auditorium, 205 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix, AZ. The theme of the discussion is: "The Rule of Law: Recognizing the Importance of an Impartial Judiciary."

Panelists include:
The Honorable Barbara Rodriguez Mundell, Presiding Judge, Maricopa County Superior Court
The Honorable Pendleton Gaines, Judge, Maricopa County Superior Court
The Honorable Maurice Portley, Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One
Daniel McAuliffe, State Bar of Arizona President
Edward Novak, State Bar of Arizona President-Elect

Join some of Arizona's most influential legal leaders for an informative discussion on how judicial independence and accountability are instrumental in the separation of powers and a fair justice system.

Additional information may be obtained by contacting:
Patricia Seguin, Community Outreach Director for Maricopa County Superior Court at 602-372-0595 or seguinp@superiorcourt.maricopa.gov and Mira Radovich, Communications Coordinator for State Bar of Arizona at 602-340-7293 or Mira.Radovich@staff.azbar.org.

Mohave County is proud to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Law Day by holding community-based events.

On May 1, 2008 mock trials involving “the case of the stolen crayons” will be presented to 3rd, 4th and 5th graders at Cerbat and Palo Christi Elementary Schools in Kingman. The trials will be facilitated by law professionals and court staff. Students will receive coloring books and pencils.

From 12:00 – 4:45pm on April 29, 2008 in Bullhead City (Bullhead City Council Chambers, 1255 Marina Boulevard), April 30, 2008 in Lake Havasu City (Mohave County Superior Court, 2001 College Drive, Suite 148) and May 5, 2008 in Kingman (Mohave County Superior Court, Visiting Judge’s Courtroom, 3rd floor, 401 E. Spring St.) free legal presentations for the public will be conducted by local attorneys . The presentations will cover the following issues: Representing Yourself in Court in a Divorce; Home Foreclosure & Debt Collection; How Do I Establish Paternity or Initiate/Modify Custody/Parenting Time; Guardianship of a Minor; Elder Care – Guardianship/Conservatorship of an Adult; Vulnerable Adults; and Powers of Attorney (Durable General, Durable Health Care, and Durable Mental Health Care). The events are sponsored by the Mohave County Bar Association, Mohave County Superior Court and Community Legal Services.

Additional information may be obtained from Xochilt Estrada-Nelson, Pro Bono Coordinator/Fair Housing Advocate, Community Legal Services at 928-681-1177 or 800-255-9031 ext. 23, or Lori Linn, Law Librarian, Mohave County Superior Court at 928-753-0790 X4044 or llinn@courts.az.gov.

Coconino County is celebrating Law Day on May 1, 2008 at the Coconino County Courthouse. This is sponsored by the Coconino County Bar Association, Coconino County Superior Court, and DNA – People's Legal Services, and Volunteer Lawyer Project.

Volunteer attorneys from the community will meet with high school students to choose and prepare to debate their choice of:

• Government in the Sunshine
• Guns in School
• Vague Law: "No Vehicles in the Park"
• Open-Campus Lunches

The students and attorneys will then come to the Coconino County Courthouse on May 1st to debate these case scenarios, or do a mock court on the issue, in Division III courtroom, with Honorable Mark R. Moran presiding. Agencies in the community will also have information tables for students, and students will receive snacks, US constitutions, Law Day pencils and bags.

2008 Arizona Law Day Scholarship Essay Contest
Sponsored by the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education and the Arizona Supreme Court

Topic: "How Should The Courts Uphold The Rule Of Law?"
Essays will be judged March 17-April 4th.
The top essay writer from each county will be awarded a $250 Scholarship!
The top 3 winners from each county will be invited to a law day luncheon on May 1st to meet Arizona Supreme Court Justices and be recognized for their accomplishment.
For more information, please visit www.azflse.org.

The Tempe Municipal Court will be celebrating Law Day this year by sponsoring its 5th annual art competition for grade school children. Packets of information are sent out to each school in the city, informing teachers as to what the Law Day topic is for this year and encouraging them to enter their students in this competition. Additionally, the Tempe Municipal Court Judges have prepared a presentation to help the teachers educate the students about the topic. The Judge goes out to the schools to give this presentation to the students. Every student that participates in the competition is given a Certificate of Participation signed by the Mayor of Tempe and the Presiding Judge. All entries are hung in the Tempe City council Chambers the week before Law Day. Winners will be present at the Council Meeting on May 1 to receive their awards by the Presiding Judge and Mayor and have their pictures taken with them.

On May 5 approximately 300 high school students will participate in an interactive panel discussion. Three local high school students, recent immigrants from Somalia, Kenya, and Afghanistan will share their thoughts on the difference the rule of law has made in their daily lives. The moderator for the panel discussion is Dr. Thomas J. Volgy, also an immigrant from Hungary. Participants will then observe court proceedings in the Superior Court and have the opportunity to discuss the concept of the rule of law with trial judges. Lunch is being donated by a local business. All the attendees will receive a Law Day gift bag including Law Day wristbands, pencils and bookmarks. A grant from Access Tucson, the local community media center, will permit the filming of the panel presentation for broadcast later on Access Tucson Channels.

The Young Lawyers Division is sponsoring an essay contest open to all high school students on the theme "The Rule of Law". The winners of the contest will be announced at the Law Day event and prizes awarded will be gift certificates of $150, $100 and $75 and a pizza party for the winning student's classroom.

Cochise County's Law Day 2008 Committee announces the following activities for its 6th Annual Law Day commemoration:

All Cochise County students from kindergarten through 12th grade are eligible to compete in essay, poster and photography/graphic arts contests. Details are available on www.cochisecounty.com click on "Clerk of Superior Court", then click on "Law Day 2008".

On Wednesday, April 30th at 10 a.m. on the steps of the Cochise County Courthouse in Bisbee, Arizona the public is invited to attend the Law Day 2008 ceremony featuring a keynote speech by Associate Presiding Judge James L. Conlogue. Contest winners are also invited to read their essays or comment on their artwork.

At 2 p.m. in the same courthouse the 3rd lecture in the court's Lyceum Series will feature Dean Toni Massaro from the James E. Rogers (University of Arizona) College of Law. Her topic is "Freedon of Religion".

More information may be obtained from Denise Lundin, Cochise County Clerk of the Superior Court, by calling 520.432.8571.

Professor Rachel Anita Jung, Adjunct Faculty, Mesa Community College, Administration of Justice Studies, Mesa, Arizona is facilitating a 2008 Law Day Project for the Ethics & Administration of Justice class. Class members are participating in an eight week team collaboration, leading up to a presentation program on May 1, 2008 at 7:00 p.m.. The theme: "The Rule of Law: Foundation for Communities of Opportunity and Equity."

Adhering to critical thinking processes, and the college's values statement of inclusiveness and community partnership, students are challenged to answer the topic question, "as our country becomes more diverse, how can criminal justice practitioners make equal opportunity a reality?" Teams will meet weekly for dialogue, and regularly chronicle their key insights in a journal; presenting their learning experience in a class presentation on May 1st. The goal is to have these future criminal justice practitioners consider issues of the rule of law and its place in community before their careers begin. The practice of critical thinking skills in the process will help the students see how tolerance of others' ideas transforms their own perspective, or, to quote Oliver Wendell Holmes, "A mind stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimension."