News Item
Anoka County to celebrate Law Day with event on April 28

Posted: Wednesday, April 19, 2017

On Friday, April 28, the Anoka County Courthouse in downtown Anoka will open its doors to the public as part of a Law Day “Open Courthouse” event. The event is being held to showcase the work of Minnesota’s courts, and educate the public about the work of judges, attorneys, law enforcement, and citizens in administering the state’s justice system. The free, open-to-the public event, will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
 
Law Day events will include courthouse tours; a question-and-answer session with district court judges and staff; demonstrations of the Anoka County Sheriff's Office K-9 unit; and presentations on various criminal justice issues, including: fraud and scam awareness, drug abuse, treatment courts, forensics, and the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. In addition, visitors can participate in free legal assistance clinics staffed by volunteer attorneys on matters related to family law, child support, conservatorship, debt collection, adult and juvenile expungement, evictions, warrants, driver license reinstatement, and more.
 
A welcoming ceremony featuring Anoka County Commissioner Rhonda Sivarajah and Tenth Judicial District Chief Judge Douglas Meslow will be held at 9 a.m. Guided courthouse tours will be offered every 90 minutes, beginning at 9:15 a.m., with the last tour leaving at 1:45 p.m. Legal advice clinics and presentations on various criminal justice issues will be held throughout the day. A detailed event schedule is available online.
 
“Last year, we expanded our annual Law Day event to include free legal advice clinics and more presentations aimed at helping the public understand emerging issues in their criminal justice system,” said Tenth Judicial District Court Judge Bethany Fountain Lindberg, one of 16 judges chambered in the Anoka County Courthouse. “The response and turnout from the public was overwhelming, so this year we decided to make the event even bigger. We are so excited to welcome the public to the Anoka County Courthouse, and showcase how judges, attorneys, and law enforcement work together to peacefully resolve cases and keep our communities safe.”
 
The Anoka County Courthouse is located at 325 East Main Street in downtown Anoka. No cost parking is available in the ramp located on Jackson Street, and visitors are encouraged to refer to the Anoka County brochure for additional parking information.
 
The Anoka County Open Courthouse event is scheduled to coincide with Law Day, a national day set aside to celebrate the rule of law. Law Day underscores how law and the legal process have contributed to the freedoms that all Americans share. Law Day was first established in 1958 through a proclamation by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Congress passed a joint resolution designating May 1 as Law Day, U.S.A. in 1961.