Dec. 8, 2010 — Two panel discussions highlighting Wisconsin’s revised OWI law have demonstrated the value of presenting information about the legal system to adults.
The two sessions, sponsored by the newly-formed Adult Education Task Force of the Public Education Committee, were presented on November 16 in Madison and December 6 in Portage as part of a pilot project to examine ways to bring legal information to adults in a community setting. They drew several dozen attendees, many of whom expressed support for more legal education aimed at adults. Both events featured local attorneys, prosecutors, law enforcement officers and mental health/substance abuse treatment providers.
Every year, hundreds of attorneys across the state contribute their time to Mock Trial, Law Day and other initiatives that bring a deeper understanding of the legal system to K-12 students, but the two OWI presentations mark the first formal effort by the State Bar to expand this educational focus to include adult education.
“The State Bar has sponsored a range of outstanding Law Related Education programs for K-12 students for decades,” explains Atty. Celia Jackson, Chair of the Adult Education Task Force. “But we also see a compelling need to offer adults convenient access to information about the legal system. A December 2007 survey commissioned by the State Bar, for example, revealed that nearly four of ten Wisconsin adults lack a clear understanding of their legal rights and responsibilities.”
The OWI presentations were intended, in part, to measure public interest in community-based forums focusing on specific aspects of the justice system. Jackson is encouraged by the results. “Our goal is to equip individuals and their families with the essential information and insights they need to deal constructively with the pressures created when they become involved in one aspect or another of the legal system,” Jackson notes.
“These two events demonstrate the value of assembling a panel of local experts who can focus on the practical realities of the law and the justice system. We hope to schedule more activities of this kind to help the public gain a better understanding of how the legal system impacts retirement options, child protective issues, household finances and a host of other concerns that Wisconsin families cope with every day.”
For more information, contact the State Bar’s Public Education Coordinator Marsha Varvil-Weld at mvarvil-weld@wisbar.org or 608-250-6191.
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