It is estimated that only one in six cases gets adequate legal representation.

Today we celebrate Law Day, a tradition begun during President Eisenhower’s administration more than half a century ago. Its purpose is to remind us of the blessings and burdens we bear as a free people in a society organized around the rule of law and not individuals.

The blessings of liberty are easiest to see: we can protest against government policies, choose how and if we worship; pursue the careers we want; move when and where we wish; and “have our day in court” when we have been wronged.

The burdens that come with the blessings are less obvious.

We must allow for those we do not like the same freedoms we enjoy ourselves. We must work thoughtfully to maintain an independent judiciary, even as we disagree with the opinions they render. We must find ways to deliver on the promise of access to justice when money is tight and demands for public and private funding are high.

Liberty and the rule of law do not come cheaply or easily. Judges who answer to no party or interest group, courts without barriers to the physically challenged, to those without funds to hire attorneys or the language to present their cases, these take money and attention to provide.

Today in Maine we risk the loss of liberty, of access to justice, of fundamental freedom to fair and impartial hearings. A lack of resources is resulting in too few judges, with too little staff and adequate translators and signers, too few courtrooms and security to provide Mainers with the full measure of justice to which we are entitled.

Similarly, dwindling resources for legal aid agencies mean that low income Mainers and the disadvantaged elderly struggle to find representation for legal matters ranging from family violence to housing to medical benefits. Even with volunteer lawyers among the most committed in the nation, it is estimated that only one in six cases gets adequate representation.

So today, let us pause and consider the blessings bestowed by an independent judiciary and the rule of law in our land. Let us also renew our commitment to sustain justice in our land. Volunteer time, contribute money, learn about the issues and urge your legislators to support our courts and legal aid services.

M. Calien Lewis of Cape Elizabeth is an attorney and executive director of the Maine Bar Foundation.

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