Law Day, U.S.A., 2012

Proclamation 8810 of May 1, 2012

Law Day, U.S.A., 2012

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

When President Dwight D. Eisenhower established Law Day
in 1958, he proclaimed it ``fitting that the people of
this Nation should remember with pride and vigilantly
guard the great heritage of liberty, justice, and
equality under law which our forefathers bequeathed to
us.'' Today, we celebrate that enduring legacy and
renew our commitment to a democracy sustained by the
rule of law.

This year's Law Day theme, ``No Courts, No Justice, No
Freedom,'' recalls the historic role our courts have
played in protecting the fundamental rights and
liberties of all Americans. Our courts are the
guarantors of civil justice, social order, and public
safety, and we must do everything we can to enable
their critical work. The courthouse doors must be open
and the necessary services must be in place to allow
all litigants, judges, and juries to operate
efficiently. Likewise, we must ensure that access to
justice is not an abstract theory, but a concrete
commitment that delivers the promise of counsel and
assistance for all who seek it.

Today, let us reflect upon the role generations of
legal and judicial professionals have played in
building an America worthy of the ideals that inspired
its founding. The timeless principles of equal
protection and due process remain at the heart of our
democracy, and on Law Day, we recommit to upholding
them not just in our time, but for all time.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, in accordance with Public Law
87-20, as amended, do hereby proclaim May 1, 2012, as
Law Day, U.S.A. I call upon all Americans to
acknowledge the importance of our Nation's legal and
judicial systems with appropriate ceremonies and
activities, and to display the flag of the United
States in support of this national observance.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand
twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of
America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.