Alabama Association for Justice leader: ‘The right to trial by jury is part of who we are as Americans’

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October 23, 2019

The Alabama Association for Justice (ALAJ) this week held the latest in its series of events celebrating the Seventh Amendment to the Constitution.

The ALAJ, one of the state’s largest legal organizations, hosted events in Montgomery and Lee Counties to celebrate the anniversary of the Bill of Rights and to honor judges, lawyers and judicial staff who work throughout Alabama’s court system.

Josh Hayes, ALAJ president, conveyed to WSFA the importance of the Seventh Amendment for the court system and the maintenance of our civil society.

“The right to trial by jury is part of who we are as Americans so we’re judged by people just like you and I — our peers,” Hayes remarked. “Whether you represent a large corporation or whether you are an injured person on your own, in a jury room that is the one room where everybody is equal — the American courtroom.”

ALAJ is holding several events throughout the state this fall, a series it has billed as its Courthouse Appreciation Tour. The events commemorate the 230th anniversary of the introduction of the Seventh Amendment. The group gathered with members and honored guests at the Alabama Judicial Building and the Montgomery County Courthouse, as well as the Lee County Courthouse in Opelika. These were just three of 12 events highlighting the history and role of the Seventh Amendment in the country’s civil justice system.

ALAJ president Josh Hayes, State Sen. Tom Whatley and State Rep. Jeremy Gray present a resolution in Lee County (YH)

Hayes previously told Yellowhammer News ALAJ sought to “celebrate the Seventh Amendment and the judges, clerks, officers, judicial assistants and courthouse personnel who work tirelessly each day to make sure the right to trial by jury is protected. ALAJ honors these dedicated civil servants and the job they do on behalf of all Alabamians.”

The 7th Amendment was proposed to the states on September 28, 1789 and ratified on December 15, 1791.

ALAJ’s next planned events are set for November 18 in Baldwin and Mobile Counties.

Tim Howe is an owner of Yellowhammer Multimedia