The rule of law isn’t abstract. It affects every Missourian’s daily life | Opinion

May 1 marks Law Day, a day set aside since 1958 to recognize a simple but essential principle that remains as important now as it has been since the founding of our republic: In the United States of America, we are governed by laws, not by individuals. America’s celebration of Law Day highlights what makes our democratic system of government distinct: our commitment to fairness, individual rights and the rule of law.

At its core, the rule of law means that no one is above the law and that the same rules apply to everyone. Over the course of my career on the Missouri Court of Appeals and my 20 years on the Missouri Supreme Court, including serving as chief justice, I saw how essential that principle is — not as an abstraction, but as something that affects every Missourian’s daily life.

Every day, courts across Missouri resolve disputes involving families, businesses, property and individual rights. While individual decisions may not always draw attention, together they form the foundation of a system on which Missourians rely. They depend on our judges to decide cases carefully and in an unbiased manner, based on the law and the facts.

That is what is meant by “judicial independence.” It is about protecting the rights of the people who come before the courts. Judges must be able to treat everyone equally and decide cases based solely on the law and the facts before them — independent of political considerations or public pressure.

Equally important, even when people disagree with a decision, their confidence in the fairness of the process is fundamental to the working of the legal process as a whole. The public must have trust that its judicial system is fair, independent and accountable to them. In Missouri, we have long recognized the importance of maintaining a judiciary that is both independent and accountable, by building up public trust over time through consistency, transparency and adherence to the rule of law.

But public trust cannot be taken for granted. It depends on public understanding — on knowing how courts work and why their role matters. When people better understand the process, they are better able to evaluate it and to have confidence in its outcomes. That is why I support nonpartisan civic education efforts such as those undertaken by Keep Our Republic’s Alliance of Former Chief Justices. These efforts aim to help people better understand the role of courts and the importance of the rule of law — so that public confidence is grounded in knowledge and understanding.

Law Day provides a great opportunity to learn more about the law. It allows us to step back from the pace of daily events and reflect on the principles that make our system of self-government possible. It reminds us that the rule of law is not abstract. It shapes how we resolve differences, protect rights and maintain stability in our communities.

Law Day also reminds us of the core democratic principles that underlie our democracy. The strength of our system depends not on any one person or institution, but on our shared commitment to fairness, accountability and the consistent application of the law. This means the responsibility for upholding the rule of law is shared not only by judges and lawyers, but by all of us. The rule of law endures precisely because we continue to value and uphold it — together.

Retired Judge Laura Denvir Stith served as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Missouri from 2007 to 2009, and as a member of the court from 2001 to 2021. She is a member of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Keep Our Republic’s Alliance of Former Chief Justices, which advocates in support of the rule of law.