Event features guided courthouse tours and information fair; Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice to welcome guests
Friday, April 28, the Stearns County Courthouse in St. Cloud will open its doors to the public as part of a Law Day ?ÄúOpen Courthouse?Äù event. The event is being held to showcase the work of Minnesota?Äôs courts, and educate the public about the work of judges, attorneys, law enforcement, and citizens in administering the state?Äôs justice system. The free, open-to-the public event, will run from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Open Courthouse event will feature numerous activities, including:
?Ä¢ A special welcome ceremony hosted by Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie S. Gildea and Seventh Judicial District Chief Judge John H. Scherer.
?Ä¢ An opportunity to meet local district court judges and justice system partners.
?Ä¢ Guided ?Äúbehind-the-scenes?Äù tours of the Stearns County courthouse, with presentations by judges and Stearns County justice partners.
?Ä¢ An information fair with representatives from numerous law- and justice-related organizations.
?Ä¢ Information on free and low-cost legal services available to the public.
?Ä¢ Presentations and displays focusing on the history of Stearns County and the Stearns County Courthouse.
The Open Courthouse event is scheduled to coincide with Law Day, a national day set aside to celebrate the rule of law. Law Day underscores how law and the legal process have contributed to the freedoms that all Americans share. Law Day was first established in 1958 through a proclamation by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Congress passed a joint resolution designating May 1 as Law Day, U.S.A in 1961.
?ÄúThe justice system truly belongs to the people, and serves to keep our communities safe, fairly resolve disputes, and preserve the rule of law,?Äù said Chief Judge Scherer. ?ÄúAs our nation pauses to celebrate Law Day, we wanted to give the citizens of Stearns County an opportunity to learn more about their local justice system, meet the people that work in our courthouse, and find out about the legal services available to them in the community. We will even share many of the colorful and interesting stories that have shaped the history of our near century-old courthouse.?Äù
The Law Day Open Courthouse event is being hosted by Minnesota?Äôs Seventh Judicial District in partnership with Stearns County and local justice system partners.
More information about the event, including a detailed event schedule, will be provided in the weeks ahead and will also be posted online at www.mncourts.gov/StearnsOpenHouse.
The Stearns County Courthouse is located at 725 Courthouse Square in St. Cloud. Directions and parking information is available on the Stearns County website at: https://co.stearns.mn.us/ContactUs/DirectionstoOurOffices. The Stearns County Courthouse is a secured building, and all visitors are subject to screening before entering. Cell phones are not allowed in the courthouse.
About Minnesota?Äôs Seventh Judicial District
Minnesota?Äôs Seventh Judicial District serves the counties of Becker, Benton, Clay, Douglas, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Otter Tail, Stearns, Todd, and Wadena. The District has a total of 28 judgeships. In 2016, more than 80,000 cases were filed in Seventh Judicial District courts.