MEDINA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION LAW DAY 2017 SCHOLARSHIP
APPLICATION
The Medina County Bar Association is pleased to announce its 2017 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 2017.
The Law Day theme for 2017 is, “The 14th Amendment: Transforming American
Democracy.”
The 2017 theme provides the opportunity to explore the many ways that the Fourteenth
Amendment has reshaped American law and society. Ratified a century and a half ago,
the Fourteenth Amendment serves as the cornerstone of landmark civil rights
legislation, the foundation for numerous court decisions protecting fundamental rights,
and an inspiration for all those who advocate for equal justice under law.
The Fourteenth Amendment (Amendment XIV) to the United States Constitution was
adopted on July 9, 1868, as one of the Reconstruction Amendments. The amendment
addresses citizenship rights and equal protection of the laws, and was proposed in
response to issues related to former slaves following the American Civil War. The
amendment was bitterly contested, particularly by the states of the
defeated Confederacy, which were forced to ratify it in order to regain representation in
Congress.
The Fourteenth Amendment, particularly its first section, is one of the most litigated
parts of the Constitution, forming the basis for landmark decisions such as Brown v.
Board of Education (1954) regarding racial segregation, Roe v. Wade (1973) regarding
abortion, Bush v. Gore (2000) regarding the 2000 presidential election, and Obergefell
v. Hodges (2015) regarding same-sex marriage. The amendment limits the actions of
all state and local officials, including those acting on behalf of such an official.
The first sentence of the Fourteenth Amendment generally confers legal citizenship on
all persons born in the United States and indicates that whether natural-born or
naturalized, they are citizens of both the United States and the state in which they live.
This simple statement transformed a divided nation coming out of the shadow of the
Civil War and a legacy of slavery. The second sentence of Section 1 of the
amendment, the privileges or immunities clause, prohibits states from infringing rights of
U.S. citizens. Since the Slaughter-House Cases of 1873, however, the federal courts
have narrowly interpreted these rights.
The due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment requires state and local
governments to administer fair and just legal proceedings. The clause provides a
safeguard against arbitrary laws or unjust court proceedings. As courts, judges, and
constitutional scholars have studied the clause, two aspects of due process have
emerged: procedural and substantive. Procedural due process generally refers to those
procedures that guarantee a fair trial before an individual can be deprived of life, liberty,
or property, such as the right to a jury, the right to confront witnesses, and the right to a
speedy trial. Substantive due process is a principle allowing courts to protect
individuals from government interference of certain rights deemed fundamental, such as
the right to privacy and the right to marry.
The equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment prohibits states from
discriminating against individuals or groups and advances constitutional equality. The
Equal Protection Clause requires each state to provide equal protection under the law to
all people within its jurisdiction. This clause has been the basis for many decisions
rejecting irrational or unnecessary discrimination against people belonging to various
groups.
In light of the impact the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution has had in the
development of the rule of law in our Nation’s history, applicants are asked to choose
one of the following two prompts to answer for the essay competition:
1. Discuss ways the Fourteenth Amendment shaped our modern society.
2. Discuss any current unresolved issues which could be settled by application of
the Fourteenth Amendment and how would you apply it.
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 27, 2017. Questions
should be directed to Michael Ash at (330) 635-9665, or via email
([email protected]).
PLEASE NOTE THE DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENTED TO APRIL 27, 2017
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 2017.
5.
The winner will also be invited to be the Bar Association’s guest at the Medina
County Law Day luncheon on May 5, 2017, at the Weymouth Country Club.
MEDINA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION LAW DAY 2017 SCHOLARSHIP
APPLICATION
Student’s Name: ____________________________________________
Home Address: _____________________________________________
Telephone Number: _________________________________________
Parents: ___________________________________________________
High School: ________________________________________________
College/University/Other Post Secondary Educational Institution attending in Fall of
2017:______________________________________________
Major or area of study, if known: _______________________________
High School, Extracurricular and Community Activities:
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________