A MERICAN B AR A SSOCIATION ’ S
2016 L AW D AY T HEME
======================================================================
M IRANDA : M ORE T HAN
W ORDS
======================================================================
S OUTH C AROLINA B AR
S ENIOR L AWYERS D IVISION
_____________________
S TATEWIDE
L AW D AY E SSAY CONTEST
2016 A WARDS P ACKET
Open to all 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th Grade Public School,
Private School, and Homeschooled Students
LAW DAY ESSAY CONTEST
2016 PACKET
MIRANDA: More Than Words
THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION’S LAW DAY 2016 THEME
MIRANDA:
More Than Words
In 2016, the nation marks the 50th anniversary of perhaps the nation’s best-known U.S.
Supreme Court case, Miranda v. Arizona. The Miranda Warning has become ingrained
in law enforcement and has permeated popular consciousness thro10ugh countless
recitations in films and television shows. Yet Miranda is only part of the story when it
comes to the procedures for ensuring justice. The 2016 Law Day theme — Miranda:
More Than Words — will explore the procedural protections afforded to all of us by the
U.S. Constitution, how these rights are safeguarded by the courts, and why the
preservation of these principles is essential to our liberty.
WHAT IS LAW DAY?
Established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1958, Law Day celebrates the
American heritage of liberty, justice and equality under the law. In 1961, Congress
issued a joint resolution designating May 1 as the official date for celebrating Law Day.
Every year, Law Day provides legal professionals and others with opportunities to help
students and the public understand how the law protects our freedoms.
2016 LAW DAY ESSAY TOPIC INTRODUCTION
You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you
in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney, if you cannot afford an attorney, one
will be appointed for you.
Those words are what is known as a Miranda Warning. Since 1966, with the United
States Supreme Court's decision in Miranda v Arizona, these words are recited by law
enforcement officers when a citizen is arrested or taken into custody for questioning.
The Miranda requirement was actually developed from four different cases involving the
government's questioning of citizens while in custody. In each of these cases, the
citizens were questioned by government officials in a room in which he/she was
removed and cut off from the outside world. In none of these cases was the citizen
given a full and effective warning of his rights before being questioned by the
government. In all of these cases the statements were used against the individual
citizen to convict them of criminal activity. The Supreme Court ruled that the statements
could not be used against them since they had not been advised of their constitutional
rights prior to questioning.
In addition to the procedural protection recognized by Miranda, the United States
Constitution has a constellation of procedural rights which are meant to protect us from
potential law enforcement abuse and assure all citizens are afforded fair and just
treatment by the criminal justice system. In addition to Miranda, those rights include the
Fourth and Sixth Amendment rights from unreasonable search and seizure, the right to
confront witnesses, and the right to a speedy trial by our peers. The Eighth and
Fourteenth Amendment's assure all citizens are entitled to due process and equal
protection under the law.
2
LAW DAY ESSAY CONTEST
2016 PACKET
MIRANDA: More Than Words
2016 LAW DAY ESSAY TOPIC
Each student participant must write an essay of 1,000 words or less on this topic:
How does the Miranda warnings and the other constitutionally recognized
procedural rights protect and promote the American aspiration of "justice" for all
citizens?
__________________________________
The following discussion points have been provided as a suggested approach; however,
they are not mandatory, and creativity is encouraged:



Why is the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney important?
How does requiring a Miranda warning contribute to the idea that all
citizens are entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?
How is "equal protection" under the law served by the Miranda warning
being given prior to questioning by the government?
ESSAY DIRECTIONS
Each essay writer is required to adhere to the following:
1)
Submit a typewritten essay in a 12-point font and include all attached
documents:





The student’s name, home address, home phone number, and grade level
Essay title.
School name, address, phone number, and educator’s name (if
applicable)
Name of local newspaper(s)
Documentation of all research on the enclosed Works Cited page or an
attached sheet (if applicable).
2) Forward all to an English Language Arts (ELA) or Social Studies (SS) teacher to
submit the given essays and application forms.
3) DO NOT PUT THE STUDENT’S NAME ON THE ESSAY ITSELF
3
LAW DAY ESSAY CONTEST
2016 PACKET
MIRANDA: More Than Words
SELECTION CRITERIA
SENIOR LAWYERS DIVISION STATEWIDE LAW DAY ESSAY CONTEST
The Senior Lawyers Division of the S.C. Bar is sponsoring a statewide Law Day Essay
Contest.
The Senior Lawyers Division Statewide Law Day Essay Contest is open to all 9th, 10th,
11th and 12th grade students. All students, whether in public school, private school or
homeschooled are welcomed and encouraged to participate.
If you are a student wishing to participate in the Statewide Law Day Essay Contest,
ask your English and/or Social Studies teacher to determine if he/she wishes to help
you, and possibly other students, to participate. If your school is not participating in the
Law Day Essay Contest, you may contact Tara Caine at (803) 576-3766 with the S.C.
Bar or Judge Mark Hayes at (864) 562-4144 for additional information or assistance.
If you are a teacher, contact your local Bar Association President to determine if your
county has established its own Law Day Essay Contest. You can determine your local
Bar Association President by calling a lawyer in your community. If your local Bar
Association is not participating, you may contact Tara Caine at (803) 576-3766 with the
S.C. Bar or Judge Mark Hayes at (864) 562-4144 for additional information or
assistance.
If you are an attorney wishing to establish a Law Day Essay Contest in your
community, please contact Tara Caine at (803) 576-3766 with the S.C. Bar or Judge
Mark Hayes at (864) 562-4144 for additional information or assistance.
STATEWIDE AWARDS
The grading for the Statewide Contest will be made by Judge Hayes and other circuit
court judges.
The Senior Lawyers Division will then make the following awards to the essays with the
highest scores:
Statewide Best 9th Grade Essay
Statewide Best 10th Grade Essay
Statewide Best 11th Grade Essay
Statewide Best 12th Grade Essay
Statewide Best Overall Essay
$500
$500
$500
$500
$1,000
All statewide winning essays must be submitted to Judge Mark Hayes by noon on
Friday, June 3, 2016. All local winning essays along with the appropriate coversheets
are to be submitted to: Judge Mark Hayes, 180 Magnolia Street, Spartanburg County
Courthouse, Spartanburg, SC 29306 or faxed to (864) 562-4142.
4
LAW DAY ESSAY CONTEST
2016 PACKET
MIRANDA: More Than Words
ESSAYS FROM PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS
Students from participating schools will submit essays to a school official (teacher,
administrator, etc.) for pre-selection.
School submissions should include:
1) Essays and corresponding entry forms, including any source citations and
parental release forms (if applicable);
2) A list of all other students who prepared essays for this contest. (Judge Hayes
would like to recognize the efforts of all participants.)
ESSAYS FROM STUDENTS WHOSE SCHOOLS ARE NOT PARTICIPATING
OR WHO ARE HOME-SCHOOLED
Students whose schools are not participating or who are not affiliated with a school may
send entries directly to Judge Hayes for consideration.
1) Essays and corresponding entry forms, including any source citations and
parental release forms (if applicable);
2) A student who is affiliated with a non-participating school or class must provide
the school’s name, address, telephone number, and indicate on the form that the
school or class is not participating.
5
LAW DAY ESSAY CONTEST
2016 PACKET
MIRANDA: More Than Words
Essay Title:______________________________ Grade Level: _______
Entry #: _______
2016 LAW DAY ESSAY CONTEST JUDGING CRITERIA
ESSAY THEME:
MIRANDA: More Than Words
In applying the following criteria, the student's grade level should be taken into
account. Assign a point value (1 – 10) to each of the following questions. One
point indicates the lowest mark and 10, the highest.
Structure/Content
______ Does the essay contain an introduction, a descriptive body and a conclusion?
______ Is the data correct and in a clear and logical and/or sequential order?
______ Does the essay exhibit good language skills: proper spelling, syntax and
grammar?
______ Are the references to sources (Constitution, Bill of Rights, cases, etc.) correct?
Creativity/Originality
______ Does the essay have some sense of originality and creativity?
______ Are the ideas good and well-developed?
______ Does the essay creatively develop the theme and does not deviate?
______ Does the essay contain the writer's personal views and comments?
General Appearance
______ Is the format neat/typed or written legibly?
______ Is the cover sheet attached and correct?
______ Total Points (100 points maximum)
6
LAW DAY ESSAY CONTEST
2016 PACKET
MIRANDA: More Than Words
COVER SHEET
2016 Law Day Essay Contest
DEADLINE: June 3, 2016 AT 12:00 NOON
A copy of this sheet must accompany each essay submitted in the 2016 Law Day Essay Contest. All
of the information on this sheet must be completed and must not appear on the essay.
Entry Number: _______________ (will be assigned by Law Day Essay Contest Committee)
Please PRINT all information in blue ink.
Grade Category: Grade 9_____ Grade 10_____ Grade 11_____ Grade 12_____
ESSAY TITLE: __________________________________________________________
Student’s Name: _________________________________________________________
Student’s Address:
_____________________________________________________________________
(Street/PO Box)
City
State
Zip
Student’s Phone Number (_______) _________________________
Parent(s) Name:__________________________________________________________
School: _______________________________________________________________
School Address:
_____________________________________________________________________
(Street/PO Box)
City
State
Zip
Name of Teacher Submitting Essay: ____________________________________________
Teacher’s E-mail: ________________________________________________________
Name of Local Newspaper: __________________________________________________
Number of Words: ____________________ (not to exceed 1,000)
Mail the completed cover sheet ATTACHED to your essay to:
Judge Mark Hayes
180 Magnolia Street
Spartanburg County Courthouse
Spartanburg, SC 29306
Office: (864) 562-4144 Fax: (864)562-4142
7