Monmouth Vicinage to Celebrate Law Day 2024

The Monmouth Vicinage, in partnership with the Monmouth County Bar Association, will celebrate Law Day by hosting several events in May. This year’s national theme is “Voices of Democracy.” 

The vicinage will host the unveiling of the portrait of late Assignment Judge Lisa P. Thornton at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1 at the Monmouth County Courthouse, 71 Monument Park, Freehold. The Monmouth Bar Association will posthumously recognize Judge Thornton with the Abraham Zager Award for Professionalism, which will be presented to Judge Thornton’s family. The public can virtually view the unveiling ceremony via a Zoom link provided below.

Students from throughout the county have been invited to attend a Law Day symposium at the Monmouth County Courthouse at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 8, featuring remarks by Monmouth County Clerk Christine Hanlon on the fundamentals of voting.

The symposium also will include a panel discussion focusing on the importance of access to the electoral process. Appellate Judge Katie A. Gummer; Susan M Scott, assistant attorney general in charge of elections; and Christopher Siciliano, county superintendent of elections.  Students also will discuss interactive case scenarios with Civil Presiding Judge Owen McCarthy and Superior Court Judge Kathleen Sheedy based on challenges to an individual’s right to vote.

Assignment Judge Marc C. Lemieux, along with Lester W. Richens, Monmouth County interim executive county superintendent of schools, will give remarks and present awards to the student winners of the vicinage’s Law Day art, essay, and poetry contests on May 8 at 4 p.m. The Daniel J. O’Hern Mock Trial Award will be presented to this year’s winner.

Judge Lemieux said the public can celebrate Law Day by “engaging in our events and learning more about the branches of government so together we can strengthen our voices of democracy in our country.”

The Law Day symposium and the awards ceremony are co-sponsored by the Monmouth Bar Association and the New Jersey State Bar Foundation and are made possible with funding from the IOLTA Fund of the state bar foundation.

For information on any of the 2024 Law Day Celebration events, contact the vicinage Ombudsman’s Office at 732-358-8700, ext. 87025.

Link for unveiling of the portrait of Judge Thornton: njcourts.zoomgov.com.