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CONTACT PERSON: VALERIE WILLARD
PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER
(504) 310-2590
| MARCH 1, 2013 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
The Louisiana Supreme Court celebrated 200 years of service today as Louisiana’s highest court. In honor of this occasion, the justices of the Louisiana Supreme Court presided over Bicentennial Ceremonies commemorating its legal heritage which dates back to March 1, 1813. The ceremonies took place in the Louisiana Supreme Court courtroom, decorated to recreate the 1913 centennial celebration, which took place 100 years ago. Lieutenant Governor Jay Dardenne served as the ceremony emcee.
“In celebrating the bicentennial of the Louisiana Supreme Court we celebrate the rule of law, our history, and our state. Accordingly, today we look at how the Court, guided by law, has taken shape over the past century and since the centennial celebration in 1913,” Chief Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson said.
Justice Greg G. Guidry chaired the Court Bicentennial Committee which selected topics for the Bicentennial Ceremonies including: A Walk Through the Streets of New Orleans at the Time of the Court’s Foundation; The Civilian Aspects of Louisiana Law; The Role of the Louisiana Supreme Court in the Early Civil Rights Movement; and The History of the Louisiana Supreme Court. Additionally, there will be a short play presented by the International High School of New Orleans entitled An Uncommon Birth-Shaping Louisiana’s Legal Tradition for Statehood.
The Bicentennial Ceremonies today are the culmination of a year of court events highlighting the bicentennial. According to Justice Guidry,” In recognition of this momentous occasion, the Court felt it was symbolically appropriate throughout the past year to return to former homes of the Louisiana Supreme Court. In May we held oral argument in the Cabildo, the court’s New Orleans home in the late 1800's. In October we “rode the circuit,” or held court, in Natchitoches, another former court venue. Going forward, we will keep the celebration in the forefront by featuring a Bicentennial page on the Louisiana Supreme Court web site (www.lasc.org) for those interested in learning more about the history of this court.”
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