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PR: Constitution Day 2016

September 9, 2016 Leave a Comment

constitution day graphic 2016Press Release: CONSTITUTION DAY CELEBRATION

Contact: Tyler Flood, HCCLA President
Office: 713-224-5529   Email Tyler

Houston, Texas – September 9, 2016 – Please join the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) at 12:00 p.m. on Monday, September 19, 2016 for a brief, public celebration of Constitution Day. HCCLA members will read the Bill of Rights and other key Constitutional Amendments on the courthouse steps of the Harris County Criminal Justice Center at 1201 Franklin, Houston, Texas 77002.

This event draws its inspiration from HCCLA’s annual public reading of the Declaration of Independence, which has served as a model for yearly readings across Texas.

What: Constitution Day is a federally observed date to commemorate the signing of the United States Constitution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 17, 1787.

As criminal defense lawyers, HCCLA members fight to protect the Constitution and its safeguards, many of which are set forth in amendments to this cherished document. HCCLA strives to remind the public of the importance of their Constitutional rights. HCCLA’s public reading of fundamental rights enshrined in Constitutional amendments—including the first ten, known collectively as the “Bill of Rights”—will be a brief and simple gesture for public awareness and education.

When: 12:00 p.m. on Monday, September 19, 2016.
Event should last approximately 20-30 minutes.

Where: Front steps of Harris County Criminal Justice Center (Criminal Courthouse) at 1201 Franklin, Houston, Texas 77002 (corner of Franklin and San Jacinto, downtown Houston).

Who: Event is sponsored by the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association, America’s oldest and largest local organization of criminal defense lawyers, with over 750 members. HCCLA President Tyler Flood will lead the reading. Event co-organizers are Houston attorneys and HCCLA members: Jennifer Gaut, Philip Gommels, Gemayel Haynes, Grant Scheiner, and JoAnne Musick.

Members of the public who attend this event will receive
pocket-sized copies of the United States Constitution.

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Download (PDF, 2.54MB)

Filed Under: constitution day, press release Tagged With: bill of rights, constitution, constitution day, public awareness

Happy Constitution Day

September 20, 2015 Leave a Comment

Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association
Celebrates Constitution Day

September 17th is Constitution Day, and this year HCCLA began a new tradition of celebrating our United States Constitution with a public reading of the Preamble and Amendments. HCCLA also provided commemorative pocket constitutions for attendees and passersby.

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This event is modeled after our celebration and reading of the Declaration of Independence with occurs each 4th of July and was started by Past President Robert Fickman.

Special thanks to member Grant Scheiner for the inspiration for this event and to Grant, Philip Gommels, Jennifer Gaut, and Gemayel Haynes for organizing this celebration.

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Thank you to the following lawyers for participating in the reading of the United States Constitution Preamble and Amendments:

JoAnne Musick – Preamble
Grant Scheiner* – 1st Amendment
Danny Easterling – 2nd Amendment
Dyan Owens – 3rd Amendment
Gemayel Haynes – 4th Amendment
Jen Gaut & Lydia Johnson – 5th Amendment
Phil Gommels – 6th Amendment
Andrew Wright – 7th Amendment
Robb Fickman– 8th Amendment
Lonnie Knowles – 9th Amendment
Patti Sedita – 10th Amendment
Alma Garcia – 11th Amendment
Cheryl Irvin, Ryan Marquez and Alan Macia – 12th     Amendment
Staci Biggars – 13th Amendment
Michael Wynne – 14th Amendment, §1
Justin Harris – 14th Amendment, §2
Wade Smith – 14th Amendment, §3
Roberto Quijano – 14th Amendment, §4 (TSU student)
Akeem Ayinde – 14th Amendment, §5 (TSU Student)

Shout out to the judges who took time to attend and celebrate with us:
Michael McSpadden, Mike Schneider, Brock Thomas, Brad Hart, and Renee Magee (who was out of town but asked her coordinator, Joey DeBruyen, to attend in her absence)

Photos of the event can be found here

Texas Lawyer coverage!

Filed Under: celebrations, constitution day, honor, justice, Members, Public Trust Tagged With: constitution, constitution day, hccla, members, public reading, united states constitution

PR: Constitution Day Celebration

August 20, 2015 Leave a Comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: JoAnne Musick, HCCLA President
Office: (832) 448-1148 Cell: (832) 326-8864
email joanne

CONSTITUTION DAY CELEBRATION
PUBLIC READING OF BILL OF RIGHTS & OTHER CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

Houston, Texas – August 20, 2015 – Please join the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 17, 2015 for a brief, public celebration of Constitution Day. HCCLA members will read the Bill of Rights and other Constitutional Amendments on the courthouse steps of the Harris County Criminal Justice Center at 1201 Franklin, Houston, Texas 77002.

This event draws its inspiration from HCCLA’s annual public reading of the Declaration of Independence, which has served as a model for over 100 local criminal defense lawyer organizations engaging in similar yearly readings across Texas.

What: Constitution Day (also known as, “Citizenship Day”) is a federally observed date to commemorate the signing of the United States Constitution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 17, 1787. As criminal defense lawyers, HCCLA members fight daily to protect the Constitution and its safeguards, many of which are set forth in amendments to this cherished document. HCCLA wishes to remind citizens of the importance of their Constitutional rights, for which so many have sacrificed and some have paid the ultimate price. HCCLA’s public reading of fundamental rights enshrined in Constitutional amendments—including the first ten, known collectively as the “Bill of Rights”—will be a brief and simple gesture which HCCLA hopes the Houston-area media will cover as a public service.

When: 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 17, 2015. Event should last approximately 20-30 minutes.

Where: Front steps of Harris County Criminal Justice Center (Criminal Courthouse) at 1201 Franklin, Houston, Texas 77002 (corner of Franklin and San Jacinto, downtown Houston).

Who: Event is sponsored by the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association, America’s oldest and largest local organization of criminal defense lawyers, with over 750 members. Public reading of Bill of Rights and other Constitutional Amendments will be led by HCCLA President JoAnne Musick. Event co-organizers are Houston attorneys and HCCLA members: Jennifer Gaut, Philip Gommels, Gemayel Haynes and Grant Scheiner.

What Else: Members of the public who attend this event will receive pocket-sized copies of the United States Constitution. For background information on HCCLA, visit www.hccla.org. For historical background on Constitution Day and information about other celebrations, visit the National Constitution Center at: www.constitutioncenter.org/calendar/constitution-day-2015

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Download (PDF, 67KB)

Filed Under: celebrations, Members, press release Tagged With: citizenship day, constitution, constitution day, harris county, harris county criminal justice center, hccla, press release, reading

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