Every year on May 1, we celebrate Law Day to mark our nation’s commitment to the rule of law. Chosen by the American Bar Association, this year’s Law Day theme provides an opportunity to explore how the Fourteenth Amendment has transformed American law and society and furthered the cause of ensuring liberty and justice for all.

The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted on July 9, 1868, as one of the Reconstruction Amendments. The amendment addresses citizenship rights and equal protection of the laws and was proposed in response to issues related to former slaves following the Civil War.

The Fourteenth Amendment has been the basis for the recognition of some fundamental rights, including the right to privacy and the right to marry. Many of the laws that resulted from the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s found their support and inspiration in this amendment. It has also served as the basis for such critical Supreme Court cases like Brown v. Board of Education (barring racial segregation in education) and Loving v. Virginia (striking down laws against interracial marriage). Rarely, if ever, does a Supreme Court term go by without some major decision grounded in Fourteenth Amendment principles.

Here at Rocket Lawyer, Law Day is always a pretty big deal, but we’re especially excited about this year’s theme. Our CEO, Charley Moore, says: “The 14th Amendment’s purpose is equality before the law, it is our duty to make sure that every person has equal access to justice.” And he is right; everyone should feel that way, we are all equal in the eyes of the law.

We plan to celebrate Law Day by continuing to make the law accessible and affordable to everyone and to help people find the legal solutions they need.

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