Judicial Council of Georgia 2023 Law Day Art Contest

The Judicial Council of Georgia/AOC and the Council of Court Administrators are seeking your most creative Georgia students to create ART for the theme of Law Day 2023!

The theme is Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility and Collaboration!

Law Day is held annually on May 1. It is a national day set aside to celebrate the rule of law. Law Day provides an opportunity to understand how law and the legal process protect our liberty, strive to achieve justice, and contribute to the freedoms that all Americans share. @GACourts will celebrate Law Day all month-long during May 2023 with periodic posts of our winning art contest entries.

What is Law Day?

Law Day, held annually on May 1, is a national day set aside to celebrate the rule of law. Law Day provides an opportunity to understand how law and the legal process protect our liberty, strive to achieve justice, and contribute to the freedoms that all Americans share.

Why is civics education important?

In 2021, former Chief Justice Nahmias wrote an essay explaining that a more perfect union needs civics education.
 

VIEW ESSAY

 
In 2022, Justice Charlie Bethel and Chief Judge Brian Richman of the Court of Appeals wrote an essay about the importance of civics lessons.
View essay

The 2023 Law Day theme is

The 2023 Law Day theme is “Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility and Collaboration!” Commemorated annually on May 1, Law Day is an opportunity to host or participate in discussions about law and its role in society. Resources are available for schools, state and local bar associations, civic organizations, and others to plan programs, lessons, and activities for a variety of public audiences, in-person and virtually.

2023 Contest Rules:

The art entries should follow this year’s theme which is Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility and Collaboration! Cornerstones reminds us of courthouses, and we have so many beautiful courthouses in Georgia both new and old. We encourage you to draw your local courthouse and reach out to your local judges to get a good story about your courthouse, and perhaps weave that story into your art. This idea is not required! It is just a suggestion for inspiration.

Awards (certificates & trophies!) will be given for each grade level from kindergarten through high school. The winners from each grade will then be organized into four age groups (K-2nd, 3rd-5th, middle school, and high school) to determine a grand winner from each group. Grand winners will receive a gift card, and we’ll work to arrange for a judicial visit to your class!

High School: $100

Middle School: $50

3rd-5th: $50

K-2nd: $50

In addition to awards, we’ll celebrate Law Day and the talented artists in our state online and in the May issue of the Georgia Courts Journal.

Submissions for the contest must be received by April 3 at midnight.

What kind of artwork you may be asking? We’re leaving this contest open to most mediums. We’ll accept paintings, drawings, poetry, videos, graphic design, and other mixed media projects.

For the younger students, we realize original artwork based on this year’s Law Day theme of “Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility, and Collaboration.”, may be too much to ask, so we have created a coloring page inspired by the theme:

Click here for Coloring Page: This page is inspired by our state’s Nathan Deal Judicial Center which was opened in 2020.

How to make a Submission: See our entry form. We are accepting submissions by either email or mail. We’ll even take submissions that would normally be mailed, such as a painting or drawing, by email. Just be sure to include all the information on the entry form. If you have a submission, such as a video, that is too large for email, contact bruce.shaw@georgiacourts.gov for assistance.

  • Mailing address:
  •  
  • Judicial Council of Georgia/Administrative Office of the Courts
  • Attn: Law Day Art Contest
  • 244 Washington Street, SW, Suite 300
  • Atlanta, GA 30334

All entries should include the student’s name, grade, school, age, and teacher contact information.

All entries become the property of the Judicial Council/Administrative Office of the Courts and may be used, reproduced, published, and displayed in publications and materials promoting the judicial branch of Georgia. Entries will not be returned.

Winners from previous years