Law Day 2012

Americans have long looked to our courts as guardians of our fundamental liberties, protectors of the rights of individuals and political minorities, and arbiters of the Constitution and laws of the land. The more people know about the courts, the greater their esteem for judicial institutions. The 2012 Law Day theme "No Courts, No Justice, No Freedom" provides the opportunity to highlight the role of the nation’s courts in our constitutional democracy and to foster public understanding about the judiciary.

To appreciate this year's theme, it is important to consider what "courts" are and what the principles of "justice" and "freedom" represent. In short, it is essential to understand that without our courts, we would have neither justice nor freedom.

One can begin that process of understanding by looking at how these terms are defined legally:

Court: A governmental body consisting
of one or more judges who sit to adjudicate
disputes and administer justice.

Justice: The fair and proper administration
of laws.

Freedom: Having legal and political rights; enjoying political and civil liberty.

Source: Black’s Law Dictionary (Second Edition)