JUDGE FOR YOURSELF
OPINION: Celebrating the rule of law
This year on July 4, the United States will be celebrating its 250th year of independence. This anniversary is also an important reminder of how lawyers have shaped this country and democracy through the rule of law. In fact, of the five individuals involved in drafting the Declaration of Independence, four of them were lawyers. Their ideas, with the input of others, helped shape the country we live in today.
But the work for lawyers did not stop once the Declaration of Independence was adopted. Rather, many lawyers have strived to change and further develop this country. Take for example, Justice Thurgood Marshall, the first Black United States Supreme Court justice who is known for many things, but notably for his work as an attorney on Brown v. Board of Education 鈥� which addressed desegregation of schools.
In New Mexico, the demographics of attorneys made a shift when the University of New Mexico School of Law hired a new professor named Fred Hart. Dean Hart, as many UNM trained attorneys would refer to him, was a forward-thinking attorney and law professor who noticed that the law school did not represent the population of the state 鈥� so he strived to make the law school a more diverse and accessible place for interested students throughout the entire state.
Today, we continue to celebrate the importance of the rule of law and its vital role in ensuring fairness, accountability and equal access to justice, while providing the foundation for maintaining order in our community.
Yearly, the New Mexico Supreme Court and the New Mexico Court of Appeals travel to host schools, somewhere different from the location of the respective courts, to hold oral argument in front of students. During this unique experience of watching oral argument in person 鈥� something that many practicing attorneys may not ever get to experience 鈥� students have the opportunity to witness the appellate court process as it unfolds in front of them, and to engage in discussion with the justices and judges after oral argument is completed.
To say, however, that courts and attorneys only promote the rule of law on a specific date each year would discredit the work being done daily. Rather, promoting education about the rule of law, the justice system and the judiciary are practices that occur throughout the year. Each spring, the 2nd Judicial District Court and the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court host and participate in the Gene Franchini High School Mock Trial program by opening their doors to students from across the state to provide young people with an operational understanding of the law, legal issues and the judicial process, while promoting the development of critical thinking and oral advocacy skills. Each fall, the courts celebrate Constitution Day by having judges visit various elementary schools to speak with and educate students about the importance of the Constitution in our everyday lives and to engage with students as members of the community.
In my experience as a judge, students of many disciplines request to observe court proceedings in person to learn about the law and how it works in practice. The court welcomes tour groups, and judges and court representatives meet with community groups throughout the year.
All these things are important to the rule of law, how we function as a society, and how we can respectfully engage in professional discussions to resolve conflict and reach an overall goal.
If there are any takeaways from why we should continue to celebrate the rule of law it is that the area of law should not be restricted to one type of person, and that being informed about the judicial branch, its responsibilities, and how it works is important to the development of our youth, young adults and community as a whole. But most of all, that equal access to justice, which is often best promoted by the work of diligent attorneys and judges, is a key component and practice to promote a better understanding of the way law develops and impacts our community and democracy.
Ramon Maestas is a judge in the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court鈥檚 Civil Division.
