Thank you to all who attended our Constitution Day celebration! We posted a few pictures from the event on our LinkedIn. We also celebrated the launch of our first animated video on the rule of law, as part of our broader civics outreach initiatives.
The Bolch Judicial Institute of Duke Law School is kicking off the new Star Rule of Law series with a Constitution Day event examining the founding framework for the American judiciary.
“The Founding Framework for the American Judiciary” will be held on Constitution Day, September 17. Marin K. Levy, the Melvin Shimm Distinguished Professor of Law and faculty director of the Bolch Judicial Institute, will moderate this teach-in with Jedediah Purdy, the Raphael Lemkin Distinguished Professor of Law, and Ernest A. Young, the Alston & Bird Distinguished Professor of Law. Together, they will explore the founders’ concerns about judicial independence, the early U.S. Supreme Court and federal courts, and the establishment of judicial review.
Lunch will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis, and festivities will extend beyond the academic discussion. The Duke Law School community is invited to enjoy a slice of Constitution cake and complete a short quiz about the Constitution for a chance to win a Bolch Judicial Institute t-shirt. Pocket constitutions, stickers, and other free items will be available while supplies last.
Strengthening the Rule of Law
The Star Rule of Law series draws its support from the recently established Stanley A. Star ’61 and Elizabeth A. Star Rule of Law Fund, a $1 million endowment created through gifts from David F. Levi, director emeritus of the Bolch Judicial Institute, his wife Nancy R. Ranney, and contributions from Star family members and friends. The fund honors the Stars’ decades of generous support to Duke Law School while advancing the Institute’s mission to protect and strengthen the rule of law.
The series will explore the importance of the rule of law to democratic institutions and the judiciary’s role in maintaining it. Future sessions, including two later this fall, will continue to examine challenges facing the rule of law both domestically and internationally.
For more information, contact Lora Beth Farmer at lora.farmer@law.duke.edu.