Early Publishing Deadline: There will be an early publishing deadline for the Law Journal Legal Notices on Wednesday, June 19th for the June 27th issue of the Law Journal.

Abraham Lincoln at Bar's Law Day Luncheon

Above: Abraham Lincoln, portrayed by re-enactor Jim Getty from Gettysburg, was the keynote speaker.

The Berks County Bar Association celebrated Law Day 2013 with our annual Law Day Luncheon on April 30 at the Reading Crowne Plaza, Wyomissing. This year’s theme, marking the 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 50th Anniversary of the "I Have a Dream" speech, was Realizing the Dream: Equality for All. We honored the winning high school mock trial team, the three elementary students who submitted winning essays on the theme and the Fox Scholarship Awardee. Right: Local child music prodigy, Isabel Lacatus, provided the music. View video of her performance.

Left to Right: The winning Mock Trial Team from Conrad Weiser and the winning 2013 Law Day Essay Winners posing with Dominic A. DeCecco, Esq., Co-Chair, Law Day Committee, Abraham Lincoln, and Berks Bar President, Eugene Orlando, Jr., Esq.

Looking for a Lawyer?

Have you just been served with a complaint seeking to foreclose on your home or to change the child custody arrangement or to evict you from your apartment? Or are you considering bankruptcy?

You need to consult with an attorney. Our members are skilled attorneys who can fight for your rights, draft valid legal documents and stand by you in the courtroom. Don’t be misled by television ads for online legal forms. Notaries and petition preparers cannot give legal advice or accompany you to court. And “do-it-yourself” law is a fast lane to disaster. Our members know Pennsylvania law, are available for personal consultations and are accountable to you.

If you feel overwhelmed looking for the attorney right for you, go here for more information on what the Berks County Bar Association can do for you.

Foreclosure Mediation Program Continues

The Berks County Bar Association, in conjunction with the Berks County Courts and Neighborhood Housing Services, have created a program by which those threatened with the loss of their home can seek relief. The program began January 1 and is continuing. Those served with a complaint in a consumer debt or home mortgage case may take advantage of the program.

Read More› for a description of the program.

The program is also explained on a recent "Ask a Lawyer" television show. Go here to view the program. As of July 16, 216 cases have requested to participate. Go here for a detailed update.

provided by the UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH SCHOOL OF LAW

Hungary prosecutors charge accused Nazi with war crimes

[JURIST] Hungarian prosecutors on Tuesday charged Laszlo Csatary, a 98-year-old Hungarian man, with the unlawful execution and torture of people in connection with the Holocaust. Slovakian authorities began the investigation [JURIST report] of Csatary in September after he was arrested on allegations of abusing and assisting in the deportation of thousands of Jews to concentration camps during the Holocaust. The arrest came after the Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) [advocacy website], a Jewish human rights organization committed to finding and prosecuting Holocaust war criminals, submitted new evidence [JURIST report] to the Budapest prosecutor's office detailing the war crimes allegedly committed by... Full Story››

ICC grants Kenya VP's request to skip parts of upcoming trial

[JURIST] The International Criminal Court (ICC) [official website] on Tuesday conditionally granted the request [press release] of Kenyan Vice President William Ruto [ICC materials; JURIST news archive] to be excused from parts of his upcoming trial. The Trial Chamber, however, will still require Ruto to be present for certain parts of his trial, such as for opening and closing statements and for presentations by victims. The Chamber also stated that this conditional grant is for the purpose of allowing Ruto to continue fulfilling the demanding requirements of his position as vice president. Any violation of the conditions may result in... Full Story››

Libya senior judge assassinated outside courthouse

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UN rights expert applauds Georgia for commitment to aiding displaced persons

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Pennsylvania top court upholds mandatory retirement age for judges

[JURIST] The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania [official website] on Monday upheld [opinion, PDF] the mandatory retirement provision for judicial officers. The complaint [JURIST report], originally filed by six Pennsylvania judges, alleged that the mandatory retirement provision in the Pennsylvania Constitution [text] was in violation of the equal protection and due process clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment [text] to the US Constitution. The court, although sympathetic, held that because of the people's indefeasible right to alter their government by amending the Constitution, the mandatory retirement provision was subject to deferential, rational basis review under both equal protection and due process. The... Full Story››