Bill of Rights Day is Sunday, December 15, 2024. Although it is not a national holiday, it is nevertheless an important day of remembrance. We commemorate this date to mark the adoption of the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. This crucial document is one of the cornerstones of our representative democracy.
Courts are products of legal doctrine. A judge’s primary responsibility is to interpret and fairly apply the written law to the facts of each case. To this end, everyone knows judges are governed by a host of written statutes, as well as by precedent from previous cases decided by higher courts. Most people also know there are written rules of procedure and ethics judges must follow. But in the real world where there are nuanced and complex issues, the explicit statutes and cases may not provide all the answers. Written rules similarly cannot address every aspect of a judge’s behavior.
Federal Courts Have an Obligation to Decide Cases.
One of the most fundamental obligations of the federal courts is to decide the cases before them. This is implied from Article III, Section 2 of the Constitution, which provides that the court’s judicial power extends to cases and controversies. As one court stated: “a federal judge has a duty to sit where not disqualified which is equally as strong as the duty to not sit where disqualified.” Laird v. Tatum, 409 U.S. 824, 837 (1972) (Mem. of Rehnquist, J.) (collecting cases).
Tuesday, September 17, 2024, marks the 237th anniversary of the signing of the United States Constitution. The United States Constitution is the world’s longest surviving written charter of government. It has served our nation and its people well over the past two centuries, even through a long and terrible civil war. And although it has served us well, like all human creations, it is not a perfect document. On the occasion of its anniversary, we think it helpful to briefly discuss some of the current sentiment for changing or amending the Constitution.
The Sixth Circuit Student Essay Contest was open to high school students (grades 9–12) enrolled in public, private, parochial, and charter schools and home-schooled students of equivalent grade status in the four states that comprise the Sixth Circuit (Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee).
In just a few short weeks we will elect from among us those people we will place in positions of authority over us. This is a civic tradition we have faithfully repeated for almost two hundred fifty years. Regardless of whom we elect, and regardless of whether we supported or opposed them, we rely on them to follow the rule of law.
THE RULE OF LAW.
Imagine that when you were in high school you had the chance to attend a two-week summer camp focused on an important and historic United States Supreme Court case that originated in your hometown. Imagine that someone from the Supreme Court Historical Society traveled from Washington to conduct the camp. Imagine that prominent speakers shared their expertise with you and gave you a chance to ask questions and interact with them. Imagine that you could visit the actual sites where events in the case took place. And imagine that prominent scholars would dissect Supreme Court opinions and other original sources with you.
On July 8 and 9, 2024, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio held, in the Dayton seat of court, its first-ever civics court camp for high school students - what the court calls the “Dayton Student Justice Institute.”
Earlier this week, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio held its first-ever Teachers’ Institute civics education program in the Dayton seat of court. Teachers from throughout the Dayton community spent two days learning about criminal cases (on Day 1) and civil cases (on Day 2).
On June 26, 2024, Judge Michael Newman and Magistrate Judge Caroline Gentry met with law student externs - from the U.S. District Court and from Legal Aid of Western Ohio - as part of the Southern District of Ohio’s continuing civics education outreach efforts.
