On February 14, 2012, Arizona will celebrate the state's 100th birthday.
The Arizona Judicial Branch established the Court's Centennial Commission to identify opportunities to celebrate and commemorate this historic event.
In Arizona, the court system has served to maintain the rule of law throughout the state’s history. The Arizona Court system has consistently provided a venue for resolving disputes and providing a forum for swift, fair justice. To maintain a democracy and an ordered society, members of the public must understand their rights and responsibilities and the critical importance of maintaining the rule of law.
The occasion of Arizona’s Centennial in 2012 provides a unique opportunity to recognize the role the third branch of government, the judicial branch, has played in Arizona’s development and to celebrate the importance of the rule of law in a civilized society.
The judicial branch, in conjunction with other governmental entities, bears responsibility for assuring that Arizona’s residents learn about the rule of law and their responsibilities as participants in our democratic society.
In 2008, the Arizona Courts Centennial Commission was established to coordinate statewide efforts to research, document, and develop methods to teach about the history of the Arizona Courts.
By promoting an understanding of the importance of the rule of law, the need to protect individual rights, and the need for a peaceful method of resolving disputes, the learning experience will encourage citizens to comply with the laws of Arizona, thereby furthering the goal of the courts to effect a reduction in juvenile and adult crime and bring about greater respect for society.
Commission Projects
The Development of an Arizona Courts Centennial Website
Connecting with the Classroom Project
Through this project, the Arizona judicial and legal community will commemorate the State’s centennial by an outreach program intended to promote greater knowledge about Arizona’s constitution and state government among middle- and high-school students.
The project will be supported by the Arizona Supreme Court, the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education (AFLSE) and the Arizona State Bar.
Judges and lawyers will volunteer to visit eighth and twelfth-grade classes to present, along with the regular classroom teachers, one or more class modules on these topics:
1. The creation of Arizona’s constitution, including issues addressed at the state constitutional convention and differences between the state and federal constitutions.
2. The evolution of Arizona’s constitution since statehood.
3. The responsibilities of the different branches of state government.
4. How do the Arizona constitution and state government impact students.
Celebration of the Centennial of the Constitutional Convention
One hundred years ago during the fall of 1910, a group of delegates convened for Arizona’s Constitutional Convention. To celebrate the centennial of our constitution, the Arizona Supreme Court and the State Bar of Arizona hosted a public forum to highlight and reflect on this momentous event.
The event was held on Thursday, December 2, 2010 from 2 to 5:00 p.m. at Memorial Hall, located at Steele Indian School Park. The program included presentations about the convention, its delegates, the development of our state’s constitution, and modern challenges to it.
Below are links to the hand-outs for the program.
Event Program
Presenter Biographies
Hand-outs for the presentation by Judge Penny Willrich (Ret.)
Hand-outs for the presentation by Judge Michael Hawkins
Hand-outs for the presentation by Paul Eckstein
Hand-outs for the presentation by Clint Bolick
Report of the 97th Arizona Town Hall “Arizona’s Government: The Next 100 Years”