In celebration of Independence Day, Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) President Neal Davis gave the HCCLA’s 10th annual reading of the Declaration of Independence outside the Harris County Criminal Justice Center at 1201 Franklin in Downtown Houston.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo issued a proclamation for the event. In it, she congratulated the HCCLA for the reading, which was held at noon on July 3.
Judge Hidalgo said in her declaration that the Declaration of Independence is “the founding document of the United States, and contains within its text the fundamental truths and unalienable rights that typify and embody the American way of life…that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
HCCLA President Neal Davis said:
“While our Declaration of Independence is over 200 years old, it continues to be part of our DNA as Americans. It is also a reminder that liberty is an inalienable right and that the government’s power comes from us, the governed. The rights found in the Declaration do not come easily; they must be fought for and enforced every day in our great nation. Many in the criminal justice system, from police to prosecutors to judges, frequently need to be reminded that we are all equal and they work for all of us. It is a testament that not only has the Declaration endured this long, but has become a blueprint for developing democracies around the world.”
Davis recently took office as 2019-2020 president of the HCCLA, which is the largest local criminal defense bar in the United States with more than 600 active members.
