NEWS FROM THE COURTS

Annual Law Day Open House at the Courts

It was a warm, sunny early spring Saturday in mid April, the kind of day you'd want to be outside as much as possible. Yet hundreds of people chose to come indoors at the Law Courts Building on Upper Water Street for the Canadian Bar Association's annual Law Day.

The third floor was teeming with people of all ages, taking in displays put on by a wide variety of groups ranginf from the Prosecution servicve to the RCMP and Elizabeth Fry Society.

One of the most popular attractions was the mock trial of so ans so. Chief Judge Patrick Curran of the Nova Scotia Provincial Court presiding

To top off another successful annual Law Day, Federal Justice Minister Warren Cotler make a special effort to get to Halifax especially for this event. Mr. Cotler chose as the focuse of his speech the Canadian Charter of Rights And Freedoms, an historical document marking its 25th anniversary ..something of an interesting contrast to another polular feature of the day ... face painting. But even here, the theme was still the law.

Still, the attraction was displays. Seen here is the information area provided by the Halifax Regional Police and another display of drug paraphanelia with explanations offered by RCMP Constable Richie Rich.

This year's recipient of the annual Law Day award, presented by the Canadian Bar Association, Nova Scotia Branch, was the Dalhouosie Law School Legal Aid Service. It is the second time in its history to recieve the awar, a statement on its valued controbbution to its community and profession.