A statewide initiative from the Tennessee Bar Association
Can civility co-exist with free speech in today's world? That's just one topic that will be explored in a series of public conversations presented across the state this fall by the Tennessee Bar Association. The initiative is designed to encourage a public conversation about the tensions between civility and free speech, the state of our public square and the challenges of maintaining civil discourse in a democracy.
A "Civics and Law Academy" engages young people of middle school and high school age in learning about law and society. The purpose of an academy is to prepare young people to be participants in our democratic society. In an academy, knowledgeable, civically active adults share their expertise, experience and enthusiasm for civic engagement with young participants. Academies may be conducted by lawyers, judges, teachers, youth workers or other civic leaders.
The American Bar Association has developed lessons on many different topics that can be adapted to fit the needs of local schools and programs.
For more information, contact Liz Todaro at (615) 383-7421 or ltodaro@tnbar.org.
The Least Dangerous Branch: The Importance of a Fair & Impartial Judiciary
Overview & Theme
In Federalist Paper No. 78, Alexander Hamilton wrote that the judiciary is “the least dangerous” branch of government because it “has no influence over either the sword or the purse.” A central principle of our U.S. form of government is that judges should be able to reach decisions free from political pressures. The framers of our Constitution organized our government so that judges would have a proper measure of protection from the executive & legislative branches. This structure allows the court to make fair and impartial judgments in cases free from influences of the two political branches. We do not have strict majority rule in this country – when the will of the majority is contrary to individual rights as guaranteed by the Constitution, the role of the courts is to protect and uphold these rights of the individual.
The Tennessee Bar Associations' Public Education Committee’s GAVELS Program is working to educate Tennesseans about the legal system, including significant foundational topics such as Separation of Powers, The Rule of Law, a Fair and Impartial Judiciary and Judicial Selection.
GAVELS is seeking judges and lawyers interested volunteering to speak to civic and other groups about these or related topics. Training and materials are provided for volunteers.
