DelcoReviewSpring2017 - 24

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LAW DAY 2017

"The 14th Amendment:
Transforming American
Democracy"

Friday, April 28, 2017
The Honorable John V. Diggins
Ceremonial Courtroom

S

everal months of activities sponsored and led by Bar Association
Members culminate on Law Day, including a Law Day Program held
in area high schools and at Delaware County Community College.
Law Day events include a Court House Program for area elementary
schools. The Young Lawyers' Section holds a Mock Trial Competition,
which concludes just before Law Day, and there are essay and art contests
for area elementary, middle, and high school students.
A theme is chosen each year to provide an opportunity to spotlight a
particular aspect of the rule of law or legal process and how it affects our
daily lives. The theme this year, "The 14th Amendment: Transforming
American Democracy," provides the opportunity to explore the many
ways that the Fourteenth Amendment has reshaped American law and
society. Through its Citizenship, Due Process and Equal Protection clauses,
this transformative amendment advanced the rights of all Americans. It
also played a pivotal role in extending the reach of the Bill of Rights to
the states. Ratified during Reconstruction a century and a half ago, the
Fourteenth Amendment serves as the cornerstone of landmark civil rights
legislation, the foundation for numerous federal court decisions protecting
fundamental rights, and a source of inspiration for all those who advocate for equal
justice under law.

14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
The 14th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified on July 9, 1868, and
granted citizenship to "all persons born or naturalized in the United States," which
included former slaves recently freed. In addition, it forbids states from denying
any person "life, liberty or property, without due process of law" or to "deny to
any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." By directly
mentioning the role of the states, the 14th Amendment greatly expanded the
protection of civil rights to all Americans and is cited in more litigation than any
other amendment.
As we celebrate the many ways that the Fourteenth Amendment has reshaped
American law and society, we honor recipients of the Themis Award, the Liberty
Bell Award, and the Elizabeth C. Price Award at the Ceremony along with awards
and recognition for the Mock Trial winners and essay and art contest winners.
The Law Day ceremony concludes at The Historic 1724 Courthouse, Chester,
Pennsylvania.

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"The 14th Amendment: Transforming American Democracy"
24 | Spring 2017
http://www.DelcoBar.org
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