photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Douglas County Chief Judge James McCabria reads the Preamble to the Constitution on Sept. 13, 2023, in Douglas County District Court.

Lawrence attorneys and judges took turns reading passages from the U.S. Constitution out loud on Wednesday at the Douglas County court building in honor of Constitution Day, which is coming up on Sept. 17.

The reading at the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center, 111 East 11th St., was organized by the local chapter of the American Inns of Court, an organization that promotes mentorship and professionalism among attorneys. Kate Simpson, a local attorney and program chair of the local chapter, said the reading was planned after chapter members noticed it had been a few years since such an event had been held.

“We’re commemorating it as a way of recognizing that it’s a living document,” Simpson said.

Wednesday’s event featured 30 readers who took turns reading aloud from 109 passages until the entire U.S. Constitution had been read. Chief Judge James McCabria started it off by reading the Preamble to the Constitution after giving some introductory remarks.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

A crowd of Douglas County attorneys gather for a reading of the Constitution Sept. 13, 2023, in Douglas County District Court.

“The Constitution is not and never has been susceptible of being understood from just one perspective,” McCabria said in his introduction. “Our Constitution invites each of us, we the people, to participate in its application.”

Others who read passages included Lawrence City Commissioner Brad Finkeldei; Douglas County Commissioner Karen Willey; Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez; Chris Mann, a former Wyandotte County prosecutor; Shon Qualseth, Kansas assistant attorney general; and Stephen R. McAllister, a University of Kansas law professor and former U.S. attorney for the District of Kansas.

Events like Wednesday’s reading are a good reminder for those in the legal profession to always keep the Constitution in mind as they do their work, said one of the readers, Sam Allison-Natale of Kansas Holistic Defenders. Allison Natale told the Journal-World that’s especially important in difficult situations when an attorney might want to back down or “you don’t even want to fight as hard as you should.”

“[I]n those moments, I think about the oath that I took to the Constitution and think, my hands are tied because I swore an oath as a defender to uphold the rights of every individual under that Constitution,” he said. “… I take that seriously; I think a lot of other people feel the same way.”

Another event honoring Constitution Day has been scheduled by the Kansas Supreme Court for Sept. 18 at 1:30 p.m. at the Kansas Judicial Center, 301 SW 10th Ave. The event is open to the public and will also be broadcast on the Supreme Court’s YouTube page.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Sam Allison-Natale reads a passage from the US Constitution on Sept. 13, 2023, in Douglas County District Court.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez reads a passage from the US Constitution on Sept. 13, 2023, in Douglas County District Court.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

University of Kansas Law Professor Steve McAllister reads a passage from the US Constitution on Sept. 13, 2023, in Douglas County District Court.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

City Commissioner Brad Finkeldei reads a passage from the US Constitution on Sept. 13, 2023, in Douglas County District Court.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

County Commissioner Karen Willey reads a passage from the US Constitution on Sept. 13, 2023, in Douglas County District Court.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Benita Joy Yoder, right, and her puppet “Chuck” read a passage from the US Constitution on Sept. 13, 2023, in Douglas County District Court.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Assistant Attorney General Shon Qualseth with the Office of the Attorney General of Kansas reads a passage from the US Constitution on Sept. 13, 2023, in Douglas County District Court.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Chris Mann reads a passage from the US Constitution on Sept. 13, 2023, in Douglas County District Court.