1973, April, Pg. 13. Law Day 1973.

• Author: by Stevens P. Kinney II

2 Colo.Law. 13

The Colorado Lawyer

1973.

1973, April, Pg. 13.

Law Day 1973

13Vol. 2, No. 6, Pg. 13Law Day 1973by Stevens P. Kinney IILaw Day 1973 will be of special significance to the Colorado legal community. The President of the American Bar Association, Robert Meserve, will address the annual luncheon of the Denver Bar Association at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Denver on May 1, 1973. The Colorado Bar Association hopes that this honor will spur the development of meaningful Law Day programs throughout the state, and that these programs will not be limited to May 1, but will continue throughout the week or longer.

This year's theme, "Help your courts assure justice," is excellent, and many types of programs can be developed. Clearly criticism by the general public centers on the administration of justice through our courts. Much of this criticism is justified and the legal profession, with the help of the entire community, must move to resolve the problems around our courts. Law Day presents a unique opportunity to solicit public attention and draw support for our legal system and its improvement.

Mounting backlog of untried cases, insufficient judges and court personnel, assembly line justice, repeated continuances of pending cases, plea bargaining, disparity in sentencing, judicial ethics and decorum, and even the judicial system itself are all problems well recognized by those of us in the legal profession. We are aware of the causes for these problems, and have some valid ideas to remedy these areas. The public should be made aware of the full and complete picture, and a natural starting is Law Day 1973.

By focusing public attention on law---both its problems and its successes---we can perform a valuable public service. We can inform the individual citizen of these major problem areas and encourage him to become involved in local efforts for effective court reform. We can encourage him to better understand the legal system and its operation.

Past breakfasts, luncheons, and dinners have been effective in helping to inform specific segments of the community, but programs must now be developed to reach other segments of the community not reached by present programs.

The schools, at all levels, should be involved in Law Day programs. These programs could include lawyers presenting moot court trials or assisting the students...