Every spring in this country, we use the occasion of Law Day, May 1, to pause and reflect on the rule of law and access to justice in our society. Often as not, we say a “thank you” to our forefathers for the remarkable job they did in establishing the foundations of justice and fairness that we enjoy in the United States of America.

This year, I am particularly mindful of our blessings as I watch the struggle for open, fair and secure legal systems in so many parts of our world. I cannot help but compare how we handle our disagreements with what I see happening elsewhere. While we are no strangers to violence, even in our courtrooms, we most often bring our concerns to those who can effect change in an orderly way.

Even as I write, I am aware that Maine’s legislators are considering bills and budgets that make Maine courthouses safer and more secure, while at the same time making them more accessible to our most vulnerable residents through increased funding for legal aid (L.D. 715). The Justice Action Group, the Maine State Bar Association and the Maine Bar Foundation, among others, are working together to support this effort for increased legal aid, and I applaud their efforts. Debate in Augusta will present the competing interests for funding through an open and public process. Ordinary people appear to tell their stories to lawmakers, who make themselves available to listen and who vote publicly with little fear of violence or disruption.

I am confident that when the debate ends, we will find ways to make our legal process more accessible to those without the resources to afford necessary legal counsel. We will also find the means to give the public confidence in the safety of our courthouses, so that the business of justice can remain the hallmark of the freedoms we enjoy.

So, on this 45th anniversary of Law Day, I share with you an appreciation for what we have and a determination to work to make it even better.

Victoria Powers is president of the Maine Bar Foundation.