"April 10, 2003, Gov. Bob Wise and Terry Bowden to Attend Supreme Court's Law Day Celebration on May 1"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:		CONTACT:
April 10, 2003		Michelle T. Mensore
		(304) 558-0145

GOV. BOB WISE AND TERRY BOWDEN TO
ATTEND SUPREME COURT’S LAW DAY
CELEBRATION ON MAY 1

Charleston, W. Va. - The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia will expand its Law Day celebration on May 1 at the State Capitol Complex courtyard in Charleston to include the presentation of the Liberty Bell Award to Gov. Bob Wise at 11:30 a.m. ABC sports analyst, West Virginia native, and law school graduate Terry Bowden will speak immediately after the award presentation.

Members of the public are invited to attend the special presentation as well as a variety of Law Day activities from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Festivities will include a Legal Information Fair with various state agencies, law enforcement, law firms and other legal organizations, Supreme Court tours, entertainment, and food booths.

The Court also will display winning photographs from its "Images of Freedom" photography competition open to all West Virginia students from kindergarten through high school.

This year’s Law Day theme, "Courts Protect Our Freedom," focuses on judicial independence, impartial justice and the rule of law. Chief Justice Larry V. Starcher discussed the Law Day theme on the West Virginia Public Broadcasting television program Law Works. The program with Chief Justice Starcher will air on April 24 at 8:30 p.m.

"Understanding our great legal system and the role of an independent judiciary in a free society is of utmost importance given the tensions in the world today. The Supreme Court hopes to educate as many West Virginians as we can through Law Day activities," Chief Justice Starcher said.

Some of the participants in the Legal Information Fair include:

ACLU of West Virginia

Parents of Murdered Children and Other Survivors

West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services

West Virginia Bureau of Child Support Enforcement

West Virginia Attorney General’s Office, Civil Rights Division

West Virginia Crime Victims Fund

West Virginia Division of Criminal Justice Services

West Virginia Division of Corrections

West Virginia House of Delegates

West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office

West Virginia State Bar Association

West Virginia State Treasurer’s Office

West Virginia University College of Law

West Virginia State Equal Employment Opportunity Office

Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
(with representatives from the magistrate, family, and circuit courts)

Organizations or individuals who would like to participate in or have questions about the Supreme Court’s Law Day activities should contact Special Projects Counsel Julie Palas at (304) 558-0145 or at juliepalas@courtswv.org . Exhibit forms and other Law Day information are available on the Supreme Court Web site at www.state.wv.us/wvsca/lawday/covercss.htm.

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Note to Editors: The link www.abanet.org/publiced/lawday/nie.html provides four lessons intended for use with local newspapers over a four-week period around Law Day on May 1. Each lesson explores a topic related to the 2003 national Law Day theme.