Leslie J. Rosenberg
Minnesota Assistant
Appellate Defender
Once again National Law Day will soon be upon us. Sponsored by the American Bar Association (ABA), this annual event highlights the role of law and justice in our society, while giving attention to the special role of courts in our democracy. Congress designated May 1 as the official date for celebrating Law Day in 1961. This year’s theme, which is Miranda: More than Words highlights the 50th anniversary of the well-known U.S. Supreme Court case, Miranda v. Arizona. The theme explores Miranda rights as they traditionally apply to police interrogation, but also shines light on all the procedural protections afforded by the Constitution, how these rights are safeguarded by the courts, and why the preservation of these principles is essential to our liberty.
Be sure to attend our own upcoming Law Day event, to be held on Wednesday, May 4 in conjunction with the Ramsey County Bar Association. We will feature a talk by Leslie J. Rosenberg, “The Making of Justice – The Role of Miranda in the ‘Making a Murderer’ Series.” Ms. Rosenberg will explore the origin and meaning behind Miranda case law, and how it gets maneuvered by police and prosecutors. She will highlight the application of Miranda to juvenile defendants, and specifically to the teenaged Brenden Dassey that we all remember from “Making a Murderer.” (This is a can’t-miss event if you enjoyed the Netflix documentary series.) Besides being an Assistant Appellate Defender with the Minnesota Public Defenders’ Office, Ms. Rosenbeg is also an expert in the field of international juvenile justice, and recently served as a volunteer public defender in China. The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place Wednesday, May 4 in the Training Room of the First National Bank Building. The event will commence at 9:00 a.m., with registration beginning at 8:30. One standard CLE credit is available. (Teleconference and on-demand available for $10.)
If juvenile justice or Miranda rights are of special interest to you, consider reading one of these books which we have in the library:
- Kids, Cops, and Confessions: Inside the Interrogation Room by B. Feld (New York University Press 2013)
- Burning Down the House: The End of Juvenile Prison by N. Bernstein (The New Press 2015)
- The Privilege of Silence: Fifth Amendment Protections Against Self-Incrimination by P. Hynes Jr. and S. Salky (ABA 2nd)
