'Due process is not controversial': Lawyers in rural communities come together for National Law Day
May 1—COLVILLE — A two-hour drive from Tonasket Thursday morning didn't stop Sandra Johnson, healthcare attorney, from joining lawyers at the Stevens County Courthouse for National Law Day.
Johnson said the drive was a reaffirmation of her commitment to the U.S. Constitution.
"It's not about being a Republican or a Democrat or an independent, it's about being a United States of America person standing on American soil," she said. "Due process is not controversial. It's what makes us safe."
Johnson was one of more than 10 lawyers who stood in a circle in front of the Stevens County Courthouse early Thursday afternoon, while Stevens Superior Court Judge Lech J. Radzimski read the attorney's oath.
In attendance was also Rep. Hunter Abell, a Republican from Inchelium, who said it was important for him to join local lawyers because of his concern about the declining public trust across institutions. Abell is an attorney and was sworn in as president of the Washington State Bar Association in 2023. Previously, he served as a judge on the Ferry County District Court.
"Today is a day where we can show the public that our lawyers are doing what they can to help build up our institutions. That includes the courts. That includes standing up for our foundational documents, like the U.S. Constitution and our Washington State Constitution," Abell said.
Like Johnson, Abell emphasized Thursday's event wasn't an affiliation of political parties, but more of a reminder for community members on how the role for lawyers and the courthouses is to ensure that there's a "fair and partial place for people to get their disputes."
Alison McGrane, an attorney in Colville, said she was excited to see the turnout and remember the significance an attorney's oath holds through the work she and lawyers do across the state.
This was the first time that she had taken the oath again after being a lawyer in Colville for almost 20 years.
"Everybody is entitled by the U.S. Constitution to due process, and this reaffirms those values and is a reminder of your oath that you took when you became a judicial officer," McGrane said.
On her drive to Colville, Johnson said she saw a group of protesters out on the corner of ruby-red Republic — something she had never seen before.
"They are saying, 'Stand up for the rule of law, stand up for the Constitution, don't cut Medicaid, leave our Social Security alone,'" Johnson said. "Prior to this year, I have never seen that there, never."
Pointing to the attorney's oath sheet in her left hand, she said her role is to serve as a safety net and a fundamental right in the United States, just as she's done the past 25 years.
"We stand together, and we work together and we take care of each other. It's a scary time, but I can't help but be encouraged when I see this going on," Johnson said.
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