Chief Justice Addresses Students : Lucas Lauds Constitution’s Longevity

In a speech to Orange County lawyers and high school students Friday, California Chief Justice Malcolm M. Lucas called the U.S. Constitution not just “a 200-year-old piece of paper” but “a living document whose interpretation still has the power to move us all.”

Lucas noted that Americans often take the Constitution “too much for granted.” In fact, he said, 75% of those polled in a recent public opinion survey did not even understand it. In another survey, 25% responding thought it was illegal to start a political party and a large percentage would not support the Constitution at all because it is “too revolutionary.”

Lucas’ comments, at a luncheon sponsored by the Constitutional Rights Foundation of Orange County to celebrate the Constitution’s 200th anniversary, were his first speech since he was sworn in as chief justice Feb. 5.

Lucas said he had recently traveled to China, where the constitution has been re-written four times since 1949. By contrast, America’s Constitution remains pretty much as it was written 200 years ago, he said, and “the sheer staying power of our Constitution merits accolades.”

Students Honored

Before Lucas spoke, the foundation honored the 700 students who had taken part recently in a mock trial competition that it sponsored.

Coached by attorneys, students argued a case dating back to the 1850s that explored the issue of federal versus state sovereignty. The winning team from Marina High School in Huntington Beach will go to Sacramento for the state finals. A team from Los Alamitos High School was runner-up in the Orange County competition that included 48 high schools.