Law and listening for the voice of Truth

with contributions from Tom Russell

This year marks the two-hundredth anniversary of the United States Constitution. In celebration, many are taking time to consider the past and future impact of this resilient document. This may also mark an opportunity for thinking more deeply about law and government in general. Recent years have seen law become one of the most popular professions pursued by college graduates in the United States. More disputes—public and private—are being settled through litigation. At the same time, there is increasing concern about rising crime rates, laws that tie the hands of law enforcers, and a general disrespect for law.

The world seems more legal-conscious than ever before. But are its citizens more law -conscious—more aware of what true law is, where the impetus for good government comes from, and what we can do to support "righteous judgment" in our courtrooms and communities? These are some of the issues the Sentinel explored with Tom Russell, a Christian Scientist who is a trial judge in a six-county circuit in Illinois. Judge Russell's caseload brings him into contact with many areas of the law. One of his assignments is to preside over all the juvenile cases in the county in which the state capital is located. And this work "with kids in juvenile court, " he says, "is unquestionably the most fulfilling. "

As I view it, it is to hear conflicting evidence in the context of appropriate procedure and rules of evidence, to make determinations of fact based thereon, and to apply statutory or case law to those facts to reach a fair and impartial decision for the parties concerned.

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