Justice Randy J. Holland to speak on Magna Carta

Date Posted: Monday, September 28th, 2015

Delaware Supreme Court Justice Randy J. Holland will speak at the Delaware Public Archives on Wednesday evening, Oct. 7, 6:30 p.m., on the topic of the 800th Anniversary of Magna Carta, the so-called Great Charter of 1215, which serves as the foundation for both the British and American systems of government. Justice Holland is the editor of the book, Magna Carta, Muse and Mentor, published in 2014 by the Library of Congress and Thomson Reuters to commemorate the anniversary. Among the book’s authors are Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and other eminent British and American jurists and legal scholars. As Justice Roberts noted in his foreword to the book, “Whether King John and the barons knew it or not, the events at Runnymede 800 years ago marked the commencement of a social transformation. Magna Carta laid a foundation for the ascent of liberty and the rule of law.” Justice Holland’s talk is the final event in a day of activities marking the 110th anniversary of the establishment of the Delaware Public Archives. Copies of Justice Holland’s book will be available for purchase at the event and he will sign copies for those wishing to have him do so.

Randy J. Holland was first appointed to the Delaware Supreme Court in 1986 and was recently reappointed to an unprecedented third twelve-year term and is now Delaware’s longest-serving justice. He is the past National President of the American Inns of Court. Justice Holland was elected to be an Honorary Master of the Bench by Lincoln’s Inn Court in London. He has written, co-authored, or edited nine books: Delaware Corporation Law, Selected Cases (2011 Chinese (Taiwan) only); State Constitutional Law, the Modern Experience, co-author (West 2010); Middle Temple Lawyers and the American Revolution, co-author (Thomson-West 2007); Appellate Practice and Procedure, co-author (West 2005); The Delaware Constitution: A Reference Guide (Greenwood Press 2002); Delaware Supreme Court: Golden Anniversary (2001), co-editor; The Delaware Constitution of 1897 – The First One Hundred Years, co-editor; Delaware’s Destiny Determined by Lewes (2013), and Magna Carta, Muse & Mentor (2014) editor. He has also published several law review articles, primarily dealing with judicial ethics and legal history.The program is free to the public and will last approximately one hour. No reservations are required. For more information, contact Tom Summers (302) 744-5047 or e-mail thomas.summers@delaware.gov.

The Delaware Public Archives is located at 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard North in Dover. The Mabel Lloyd Ridgely Research Room is open to the public Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. On the second Saturday of every month the research room is open from 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Related Topics:  Magna Carta