Law Day 2021

Preserving the rule of law ought to be the common project of each branch of both the federal and state governments, and that of each citizen.  Most fundamental to this common project is active assurance of the separation of powers, which is under ever-present threat of either deliberate or negligent erosion.  Insisting that government officials respect the limits on their power confirms Thomas Paine’s observation that while “in absolute governments the king is law,” “in America the law is king.”  As Justice Stephen Br

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness.” The Declaration of Independence envisioned a country whose government, derived from the people, facilitated not their oppression but their freedom to flourish.

It was widely reported that upon leaving the Constitutional Convention in 1787, a char woman approached Benjamin Franklin, and asked him if the Framers had produced a monarchy and he was reported to have responded, “No Madam, you have a republic, if you can keep it.”  Since its enactment, we have relied on a constitutional structure dependent on the separation of powers and the system of checks and balances between the three branches of our government.

The Nebraska Paralegal Association supports equality of all citizens.   Rule of law allows citizens to hold the government and individuals accountable. Laws must be clear, public, and protect fundamental rights under the Constitution. Justice also has to be accessible to all. Those serving communities must be ethical, accessible, and reflect the people they serve.