Nevada Law Day 2011

 The Nevada Supreme Court is again spearheading a statewide celebration of Law Day 2011, with a month of events.  Just as in past years, Nevada’s celebration of justice and the rule of law will extend beyond the one day set aside by Congress in 1961.

“It is simply impossible to incorporate Nevada’s Law Day events into a single day,” said Justice Nancy Saitta, who is heading the project as chair of the Supreme Court’s Judicial Public Information Committee.  “There is too much planned across the state, from our highly innovative Law Day Live internet presentation, to forums in schools, to poster and essay contests sponsored by the State Bar of Nevad a.”

 The 2011 Law Day theme, set by the American Bar Association, is: “THE LEGACY OF JOHN ADAMS – from Boston to Guantanamo.”

The highlight will be Law Day Live, an interactive video forum linking four Nevada communities – Carson City, Las Vegas, Elko, and Winnemucca – for an Internet broadcast that can be viewed throughout the state and even worldwide.

School districts across the state will be accessing the event and students can participate by commenting or asking questions through Twitter or Facebook links.

“The high-tech event reaches out to students and citizens in the only way possible because of the vast distances separating Nevada’s communities,” Justice Saitta said.  “Technology is a way of shrinking those miles and providing services and access to justice for many of our citizens.”

Law Day traditionally falls on May 1, but because that is a Sunday this year, Nevada’s Law Day events will realistically begin on May 5 with our Law Day Live event and continue on May 6 and beyond with forums in schools around Nevada.  Those forums, which have become a Law Day tradition promoted by the State Bar of Nevada and the courts, will involve panels comprised of judges, attorneys, law enforcement, and educators.

“Law Day offers the justice system an opportunity to educate students and the public about the workings of the courts,” said Chief Justice Michael L. Douglas.  “The Judicial Branch is probably the least understood branch of government.  We want to do our part to promote public confidence in our justice system.”

 Law Day activities will begin with the presentation of the Supreme Court’s third annual Legacy of Justice Award to a person or persons within the judicial system whose contributions, innovations, and achievements have resulted in significant improvements in the justice system and benefitted the citizens of Nevada.  The first Legacy of Justice Award was presented in 2009 to retired Supreme Court Justice Bob Rose.  The second was shared by Drug Court pioneers District Judges Jack Lehman (Clark County) and Peter Breen (Washoe County).

Poster and essay contests for students, sponsored by the State Bar of Nevada’s Young Lawyer Section, will also continue this year.