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  • Judge Joe Enos, right, presents Blaine Smith with the 2012 Liberty Bell Award during the Law Day Luncheon on Friday. Rebeka Rutledge/The Duncan Banner

    Judge Joe Enos, right, presents Blaine Smith with the

  • Prince Firooz Alexander Sefre, right, addresses those in attendace at the 2012 Law Day Luncheon including Jim Key, left, and John Stuart. Rebeka Rutledge/The Duncan Banner

    Prince Firooz Alexander Sefre, right, addresses those
April 29, 2012

Awards highlight Law Day

Rebeka Rutledge The Duncan Banner

DUNCAN — The First United Methodist Church was full of members of area bar associations and area residents Friday to witness the announcements of the James C. Benson and Liberty Bell awards during the annual Stephens County Bar Association Law Day Luncheon on Friday.

The 2012 Liberty Bell Award was presented to Blaine Smith, executive director of District 9 of the Association of South Central Oklahoma Governments. This is the 74th year for the award, given to a layperson who has contributed in a significant way to the strengthening of the system of freedoms under the law.

Smith is involved in several groups in the community, including Leadership Duncan, Rotary, Duncan Little Theatre and Chamber of Commerce and was the 2010 Spirit Award recipient. Judge Joe Enos, who announced the award winner, stated that his leadership at ASCOG has significantly and positively impacted each of the seven counties the company serves.

“I can’t thank you enough; no one is more surprised than I am,” said Smith. “It has been a great pleasure to serve and I am humbled.”

Former county clerk Connie Elam received the 2012 James C. Benson Award. She retired from her position February 2012 after 32 years in the county clerk’s office. She was unable to attend the luncheon due to a previous family engagement.

“Let’s express our appreciation to Connie,” said Carl Lamar, who made the announcement. “The court clerk’s office deals with the public more than anyone else in the court house and I appreciate the interference she ran for me (while serving as judge).”

Also receiving awards were local students who participated in the Oklahoma Bar Association Law Day competitions. There were various contests they competed in, such as writing and art. Each winner received a plaque and a monetary award.

Winners were Zach Young, first place, Creative-free-for-all contest, 11th grade; Caroline Sullivan, firsts place, Creative Writing, seventh grade; Emma Banks, first place, Creative Writing, sixth grade; Sidni Blalock, second place, Creative Writing, and second place, Visual Arts, seventh grade; Haley Riley, second place, Visual Arts, eighth grade; and Griffin Kidd, second place, Drawing Contest, first grade.

Law Day was conceived by the late Hicks Epton, a Wewoka attorney and past president of the OBA. President Dwight D. Eisenhower established Law Day nationally by presidential proclamation in 1958.

During his speech on this occasion, he said, “It is fitting that the American people should remember with pride and vigilantly guard the great heritage of liberty, justice and quality under law. It is our moral and civil obligation as free men and as Americans to preserve and strengthen that great heritage.”

With the theme of “No Courts, No Justice, No Freedom,” this year’s Law Day strove to do just that. Guest speaker Prince Firooz Alexander Sefre focused on relating his time spent in the former Soviet Union and the differences between the judicial system there and the United States.

The purpose was to point out how appreciative those in the U.S. should be of the system we have. He added to the theme that without courts and justice, there would also be no business.

“(In Russia), there are no juries, only judges. There is no respect for juries,” said Sefre. “With no legal framework, it is difficult to do business.”

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