MEDINA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION LAW DAY 2015 SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION
The Medina County Bar Association is pleased to announce its 2015 Law Day Scholarship
Contest. A $5,000.00 one-time scholarship is available to one high school senior, residing in
Medina County, Ohio, who writes an outstanding essay on the theme of Law Day 2015.
This year’s theme is “Magna Carta: Symbol of Freedom Under Law.” Perhaps more than
any other document in human history, Magna Carta, The Great Charter of Liberty, has
come to embody a simple but enduring truth: No one, no matter how powerful, is above the
law. Magna Carta has taken root as an international symbol of the rule of law and as an
inspiration for many basic rights Americans hold dear today, including due process,
habeas corpus, trial by jury, and the right to travel. As we mark the 800th anniversary of
Magna Carta, join us on Law Day, May 1, 2015, to commemorate this “Great Charter of
Liberties” by participating in our essay contest.
The Law Day theme is drawn from the inscription on the Magna Carta Memorial at
Runnymede, which the ABA erected in 1957. That granite memorial stands today as a
tangible reminder of our commitment to the rule of law, the connections between Magna
Carta and the political and legal history of the United States, and the continuing symbolic
significance of Magna Carta in the worldwide struggle for rights. While much of the text of
Magna Carta is dedicated to long-forgotten feuds and obscure legal doctrines, it contains
provisions that have withstood the test of time and, in the words of United States Chief
Justice John Roberts, “laid the foundation for the ascent of liberty.”
Magna Carta’s most oft-cited provision, Chapter 39, declares, “No free man shall be seized
or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions … except by the lawful judgment of
his equals or by the law of the land.” Inspired by this provision, we have come to associate
the early roots of our cherished due process rights with Magna Carta.
Our due process rights are found in the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: “No
person shall. . . shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor
be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law. . ..” Nonetheless, the
U.S. government recently admitted that it has been intercepting emails, text messages, and
cellphone calls, without a warrant, from its own citizens for purposes of national security.
In light of the importance of the rule of law in our Nation’s history and focusing on the
Magna Carta’s Chapter 39 provision and the Constitution’s Fifth Amendment, applicants
are asked to choose one of the following two prompts to answer for the essay competition:
1. Consider and explain why spying by the U.S. government on its own citizens is or is
not a violation of rule of law.
2. Explain why whistle-blower Edward Snowden is a traitor to his country or a hero.
RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS
1.
The essay must be approximately, but not longer than, three pages, typewritten, double-spaced,
in a font which is no bigger than 12-point, but no smaller than 10-point. It shall be accompanied by a
completed Scholarship Application. The student’s name shall not be affixed to the essay, but the
scholarship application (with student’s name) should be stapled to the essay. The essay and
application must be received by the Medina County Bar Association, 93 Public Square,
Medina, Ohio 44256 (the Common Pleas Courthouse on the Square) by 4:00 p.m., April 16,
2015. Questions should be directed to Alanna Arnold at 330-721-1510, or via email
([email protected]).
2.
All essays and applications will become the property of the Medina County Bar Association, which
reserves the right to publish and distribute the winning essay to its members and others. Essays and
related application material will not be returned to applicants. No plagiarism shall be allowed.
3.
Each applicant must reside in Medina County, Ohio but does not need to attend a high school
located in Medina County.
4.
One winner shall be selected from all entries. That winner will receive a one-time cash award of
$5,000.00, paid directly to the college, university or other post-secondary educational institution he or
she will attend in the fall of 2015.
5.
The winner will also be invited to be the Bar Association’s guest at the Medina County Law Day
luncheon on May 1, 2015, at the Medina Country Club.
MEDINA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION LAW DAY 2015
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION
Student’s Name: ____________________________________________
Home Address: _____________________________________________
Telephone Number: _________________________________________
Parents: ___________________________________________________
High School: ________________________________________________
College/University/Other Post Secondary Educational Institution attending
in fall of 2015:______________________________________________
Major or area of study, if known: _______________________________
High School, Extracurricular and Community Activities:
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