A tribute to Justice Robert H. Jackson & issues facing the judiciary.

AuthorLagueux-Alvarez, Noelle E.
PositionFOREWORD

As the 2004-2005 academic year comes to a close and I reflect on my years at Albany Law School, certain days remain vivid in my memory. Most often they are the days when special lectures or symposia were held. Days on which symposia are held give the Albany Law School community an opportunity to share ideas, mull over current topics and gain insight. Days like these are important. They have enriched my law school experience. Respecting the value of symposia, it was with a great deal of purpose that I prepared for this year's events.

During the 2004-2005 academic year, the Albany Law Review dedicated volume sixty-eight and all Law Review events to the memory of one of Albany Law School's most distinguished alumni-Justice Robert Houghwout Jackson. Recognizing that October 9, 2004 marked the fiftieth anniversary of Justice Jackson's untimely passing, the Albany Law Review sought to honor his memory. The Law Review hosted two events during the fall semester--our annual symposium which focused on issues facing the judiciary and a tribute to Justice Jackson.

At our annual symposium which was held this year on Thursday, October 28, 2004, the Albany Law Review took a closer look at three major issues currently facing the judiciary. At time when criticism of the judiciary is high and public confidence in the third branch is waning, we sought to provide a forum for thoughtful analysis. As Judge Leaned Hand expressed "let [judges] be severely brought to book, when they go wrong, but by those who will take the trouble to understand them." We took the trouble to try to further understand the crucial role the judiciary plays is in our system of government and to debate some of the issues currently plaguing both the state and federal judiciaries.

The symposium featured three panels. The first panel explored accusations of judicial activism and included Professor Richard Lavoie of the University of Texas School of Law and Professor Martin Edelman of the State University of New York at Albany. Our second panel highlighted controversies surrounding the First Amendment rights of judges and included the Honorable Thomas Spargo, Wendy Weiser, Esq. of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law and Walter Weber, Esq. of the American Center for Law & Justice. The day ended with a panel that reviewed and renewed the debate over the proper method of judicial...

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