The Bill of Rights and You: U.S. Courts celebrate the Anniversary of the Bill of Rights

Six students from the Northern District of Illinois are among the finalists for this year's U.S. Courts Bill of Rights Day Student Contest.

All of the local finalists -- Carmella Ramirez, Chloe Hart, Frank Lis, Kindyll Thompkins, Scarlett Haughey, and Yayden Waterhouse-Castro -- entered in the Middle School Essay competition.

Winners in this competition, and in the Middle School Art, High School Essay, and High School Art competitions, will all be announced in an online "virtual event" on Wednesday, December 6, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. In addition to Illinois, there are finalists from Wisconsin, Missouri, Arkansas, North Dakota, and Indiana.

Which explains one reason why the event is online.

But the event is also online to give all fans of American civics an opportunity to hear from a panel of federal judges who use the Bill of Rights every day.

And, as lawyers, I hope we are all civics fans. And supporters of the Bill of Rights, too.

Heaven knows, as does anyone who spends any time online, that there are quite a few people, and maybe even some lawyers, who could use a refresher course in civics... and the Bill of Rights.

Registration is required for this event. Click here to register for the Zoom link.

This year's Bill of Rights Day Student Contest is sponsored by the United States Courts of Appeals along with the United States District Courts in the Seventh and Eight Circuits and is hosted by the Judicial Learning Center.

First proclaimed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941, Bill of Rights Day is observed annually on December 15. It commemmorates the date (December 15, 1791) on which the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution were deemed adopted.