CCE Statement for Law Day 2025

May 1, 2025 – On this Law Day 2025, we at the Council for Court Excellence (CCE) reaffirm our commitment to the rule of law and to our vision of a Washington, D.C. where individuals, organizations, and government work together to build safe and thriving communities with a trusted legal system that meets the needs of its people, protects their rights, and promotes dignity and justice for all.

Law Day also offers an opportunity to reflect not only on CCE’s long-standing history pursuing excellence and equity in D.C.’s local and federal courts, but also on recent efforts to undermine those important institutions.

CCE supports D.C.’s federal and local courts and their staffs, who diligently administer justice and provide a vital public service. We stand with the judges in our courts who continue to demonstrate their independence in the face of unprecedented pressure.  We condemn any efforts to punish judges for appropriately executing their constitutional role.

An independent judiciary is essential to a functioning democracy. It ensures that in a system with three co-equal branches of government, the actions of private citizens and entities – as well as the executive and legislative branches – will be constrained within the bounds of the Constitution and laws. Any attempt to weaken or eliminate judicial safeguards risks eroding public trust in every branch of our government and harming our nation’s trusted checks and balances.

The judiciary cannot perform its critical function without lawyers. We need lawyers who are willing and able to challenge unconstitutional or illegal actions. Efforts to bully law firms and attorneys into turning away causes that contest government conduct are unacceptable. Such untenable efforts prevent clients from securing the counsel of their choice and inhibit the zealous advocacy that the courts depend on for a full and fair airing of important issues.

Lawyers are also critical to furthering the Constitution’s goal that all individuals, regardless of their economic, racial, religious, or social standing, have equal and meaningful access to the courts.  As the District faces local court judicial vacancies and severe budgetary challenges, the need for lawyers to provide pro bono services to unrepresented individuals is more urgent than ever.

Even today, as we commemorate the Constitution and rule of law, CCE recognizes that the current legal system is not perfect and much of our day-to-day work is focused on collaborative efforts to improve that system. But we must all fight to preserve our justice system’s commitments to due process, judicial independence, and access for all.

CCE will continue to work together with our community partners, our local leaders, and federal leaders to support the rule of law and the courts that serve our community and our nation.

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About the Council for Court Excellence. The Council for Court Excellence (CCE) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization in the District of Columbia. For more than 40 years, CCE has been bringing people together to conduct research, educate, and advocate to make D.C.’s unique legal systems more just, equitable, and accountable to the community. ‍

Per CCE's policy, no judicial member participated in the formulation or approval of this statement. This statement does not reflect the specific views of or endorsement by any current or former judicial member of CCE.