Legal Essay Contest Rules and
Submission Instructions

5th Annual Douglas County, Kansas, Legal Essay Contest.

Sponsored by the Douglas County Law Library and Douglas County Bar Association.

Topic for 2012: “Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Discuss and analyze why the American justice system is or is not the fairest in the world.”

Eligibility: Senior students attending any high school located in Douglas County, Kansas.

Submission deadline: April 16, 2012. Any essay submitted after midnight on this date will not be considered.

Rules: The essay should be between 500 and 1000 words. The essay must be sent electronically in Microsoft Word format as an attachment to the following e-mail address:

division4@douglas-county.com

The panel judging the essays will not know the names of the contestants; therefore, a cover page needs to accompany the submitted essay that identifies the student and high school, as well as the student’s phone number, home address and email address. The cover page will be removed and a number assigned to the essay before it is reviewed by the judges. Contestants must not include any information in the essays that might identify them.

All work must be that of the contestant. Contestants must credit or acknowledge all sources used in the essay.

Judging Criteria: A panel of judges will select up to three essays for cash awards. Criteria for judging include content, analysis and style.

Content: Thorough research of your topic will be necessary to allow you to provide strong factual evidence to support your argument.

Analysis: Your essay must clearly and logically set forth your position.

Style: Proper grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and organization are essential.

Notification: The students authoring the winning essays will be notified no later than April 23, 2012. Those students will be invited to attend the Law Day Luncheon on May 1, 2012.

Consent to Publish: By participating, the winners give permission to the Douglas County Law Library and the Douglas County Bar Association to publish the essays in their newsletters and on their websites.

Cash Prizes: 1st place-$750.00; 2nd place-$500.00; 3rd place-$250.00. Depending on the decision of the judges, not all prizes may be awarded.

If you have any questions, please contact Judge Michael J. Malone at (785) 832-5124 or division4@douglas-county.com.

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Comments to: Webmaster: Kerry Altenbernd, Law Librarian, Douglas County Law Library, Judicial and Law Enforcement Center, 111 East 11th Street, Lawrence, KS  66044.

Created: February 3, 2012