The Garland County Library will partner with the Garland County Bar Association to host a series of free legal workshops on Friday for Law Day.
The workshops will be conducted by local attorneys and will focus on Social Security disability, bankruptcy, and wills.
"When we were approached by Brenda Simpson on behalf of the Garland County Bar Association to do something for Law Day, we thought about the topics we get questions about all the time at the library," said Library Director John Wells. "These are complicated issues that lots of people need help with. We can always direct people to books on how to draft a will, for example, but a book isn't a great substitute for an actual face to face meeting with an experienced professional who deals with these matters on a daily basis."
The first workshop, which will run from 9:30-10:30 a.m., will address Social Security disability and will be conducted by Shannon Muse Carroll, an attorney with Lane, Muse, Arman, & Pullen.
Diana Turner, an attorney with Baim, Gunti, Mouser, & Worsham, PLC, will conduct a bankruptcy workshop from 1:30-2:30 p.m.
The final workshop, focused on simple wills, will be conducted by Brenda Simpson of The Legacy Law Group, and will run from 3-4 p.m.
The Garland County Bar Association has set up several activities to celebrate Law Day, including the library workshops, in an effort to engage with the community and to foster a better understanding of the long history of the rule of law and legal processes.
Law Day was first established in 1958 by President Eisenhower as a day to celebrate the nation's dedication to the law. Congress designated May 1 as the official date for celebrating Law Day in 1961.
"Not only do we celebrate the rule of law on Law Day, but it provides us an opportunity to focus on how the legal processes contribute to the many freedoms shared by all Americans," a news release said.
The American Bar Association annually selects a theme to highlight a specific aspect of the rule of law or legal process. This year's theme, "Magna Carta -- Symbol of Freedom Under the Law," recognizes the 800th Anniversary of the Magna Carta. The ABA chose the theme to highlight the "Great Charter of Liberties" which has been the inspiration for many of Americans' basic rights, such as due process and trial by jury, it said.
According to information provided by the American Bar Association, "Magna Carta" means "Great Charter" in Latin. After it was first revised in 1216, a separate charter of the forests, spun off and expanded from the 1215 document, was issued. To differentiate the first charter from the second, the former became known, in 1218, as Magna Carta Libertatum (Great Charter of Liberties) or, simply, Magna Carta.
Magna Carta has been cited in more than 170 U.S. Supreme Court opinions, according to American University law professor Stephen Wermiel, who analyzed 224 years of U.S. Reports of Supreme Court decisions. Of those 170 cases, 28 percent concern due process of law; 13 percent, trial by jury; 8 percent concern how Magna Carta influenced American constitutionalism; 6 percent each treat antitrust matters and habeas corpus; 5 percent concern other civil rights and liberties; and 4 percent each treat cruel and unusual punishment and excessive fines.
Like no other historical document, Magna Carta symbolizes the deep-rooted tradition of constitutional governance and its associated "rule of law" values, the release said. These are commonly understood to mean that "no ruler is above the law" and, often, the granting of political and legal rights in writing.
Advance registration is required to attend the workshops. Registration can be completed online through the library's event calendar at http://www.gclibrary.com. For more information, or to register by telephone, call the library at 501-623-4161 or 501-922-4483.
Local on 04/26/2015