Savannah High School Student Named GTLA 7th Amendment Scholarship Essay Competition Grand Prize Winner
Atlanta, GA – Today, the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association announced that James Berrigan, a Savannah resident and graduating senior at Savannah Arts Academy, has been named the Grand Prize Award Winner in the 7th Amendment Scholarship Essay Competition. Designed to recognize college-bound high school seniors who exhibit a keen awareness of the societal and judicial value of the 7th Amendment Right to Trial by Jury and Georgia’s Civil Justice System, the competition drew dozens of applicants from across the state.
“I would like to congratulate James on this outstanding achievement. His essay submission exhibited a remarkable depth of knowledge about the history, importance and present-day value of the 7th Amendment Right to Trial by Jury,” remarked GTLA Executive Director Emily Wring. “The values he expresses in his essay – including a strong belief in the vital role that a robust Civil Justice System plays in society – align directly with those of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, and we are proud to award him this scholarship as he embarks on his pursuit of higher education.”
Each applicant was asked to submit an essay that addressed the following question in no more than 1,500 words:
Since the ratification of the Bill of Rights in 1791, the 7th Amendment Right to Trial by Jury has been the cornerstone of the Civil Justice System. And yet, in the two-plus centuries since, the Right to Trial by Jury has been under near-constant assault. In your opinion, what role does the 7th Amendment play in the 21st Century, and why do you believe that it is important to safeguard this Right?
To view James’ 7th Amendment Scholarship Essay, In Defense of the 7th Amendment, in its entirety, please visit: www.gtla.org/docDownload/669877.
Applications for the GTLA 7th Amendment Scholarship Essay Competition were reviewed by the Scholarship Subcommittee of the GTLA Communications Committee, which consisted of GTLA leadership, members and staff. Applicants for the scholarship were judged based on the clarity, depth and originality of their thoughts on the assigned topic. The Grand Prize Scholarship is an award of $1,000 towards the winner’s college education.
James will attend Fordham University in New York, NY this fall, where he will be studying History.
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Since 1956, GTLA has worked tirelessly to ensure that everyday citizens, Georgia families and small businesses are never deprived of their constitutional guarantee of access to true justice. The Mission of GTLA is simple: We are dedicated to protecting the Constitutional promise of justice for all by guaranteeing the right to trial by jury, preserving an independent judiciary, and providing access to the courts for all Georgians.