FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Neal Davis, HCCLA President
(713) 227-4444 or email: neal@nealdavislaw.com
10th ANNUAL READING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
Houston, Texas – June 28, 2019 – In celebration of Independence Day, the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) is holding its 10th Annual Reading of the Declaration of Independence on Wednesday, July 3, 2019 at 12:00 pm outside of the Criminal Justice Center, 1201 Franklin Street.
HCCLA President Neal Davis said, “While our Declaration of Independence is over 200 years old, it continues to be part of our DNA as Americans. It is also a reminder that liberty is an inalienable right and that the government’s power comes from us, the governed. The rights found in the Declaration do not come easily; they must be fought for and enforced every day in our great nation. Many in the criminal justice system, from police to prosecutors to judges, frequently need to be reminded that we are all equal and they work for all of us. It is a testament that not only has the Declaration endured this long, but has become a blueprint for developing democracies around the world.”
The Reading of the Declaration of Independence by criminal defense lawyers is an annual tradition started in 2010 by attorney Robert Fickman, HCCLA Past President. This year, he has coordinated with the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (TCDLA) to hold similar criminal defense lawyer readings in front of more than 140 courthouses across the state.
“Our annual reading of the Declaration comes at a critical time in our nation’s history. Our reading is a reminder that as Americans we cherish liberty, and we reject tyranny in any form,” said Fickman. “We are not a nation that embraces the rule of a king. If we wanted a king, our Founding Fathers would not have risked their Lives, their Fortunes, and their Sacred Honor so that we might all be free.”
The Declaration of Independence is the founding document of the United States, and contains within its text the fundamental truths and unalienable rights that typify and embody the American way of life: …that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Please join us in honoring our nation’s most sacred document in the spirit of independence:
When: Wednesday, July 3, 2019
Where: Harris County Criminal Justice Center
1201 Franklin Street, Houston, Texas 77002
(Front steps of the courthouse)
Time: 12:00 PM
The Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association is the largest local criminal defense bar in the United States with more than 600 active members.
For more information about the history of the readings and photos, visit:
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