Vol. 32, No. 1, 5. And Justice for All. Deliverable Promise or Wishful Thinking.

• Author: By Ronda Munger

Wyoming Bar Journal

2009.

Vol. 32, No. 1, 5.

And Justice for All. Deliverable Promise or Wishful Thinking

Wyoming Lawyer Issue: February, 2009 And Justice for All. Deliverable Promise or Wishful Thinking? By Ronda Munger

We all remember our school days and the Pledge of Allegiance, which begins, "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America." and ends ". . . with liberty and justice for all." And justice for all. sounds like a very big promise. I didn't know it as a child reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, but now having worked in the legal system for over 18 years, I truly understand what a big promise it is. Article 1, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution provides that "All courts shall be open and every person for an injury done to person, reputation or property shall have justice administered without sale, denial or delay." There are scholars more skilled than I to argue the meaning of that section of the Constitution, but it sure sounds like "and justice for all." No matter the promises made and repeated in the day-to-day lives of the citizens of this state, the truth of the matter is not all people believe they are afforded the opportunity to live the "and justice for all" promise. Legal expenses and crowded dockets make some believe that justice is not delivered as expediently or affordably as it should be. Access to justice is a concept more easily talked about than accomplished. Just this past November, Wyoming Legal Services (WLS) closed its doors, removing one of the few resources that granted access to the court system for Wyoming's low-income citizens. I do not highlight this event to sound the alarm or disparage the legal services provided in Wyoming; quite to the contrary, I mention this event to sing the praises of the Wyoming Judiciary and the Wyoming legal community.

On November 11, 2008, Veterans Day to be exact, while many Wyomingites were enjoying a day off to celebrate the brave service of our nations' military, a boardroom full of Wyoming lawyers and judges spent their holiday working to provide answers and fill the void left by the loss of WLS. It was a very proud and uplifting day for me. I am not sure how to describe the feeling I had as I sat there and the events of the day unfolded. Genuine concern and the desire to do what was right filled the room. When I later reflected on...