U.S. Constitution

Most Americans are compassionate and caring people who want to build better lives for themselves, their children, and their communities. We are enriched by working together to achieve goals that benefit the common good. Regardless of our political affiliation—blue vs. red, conservatives vs. liberals, or republicans vs. democrats, we believe in our core democratic principles. We believe we have more in common that is good and true. The issues that divide us are less important. It’s like Benjamin Franklin said, “We can choose to hang together, or we will all hang separately.” 

“All rise!” is what the clerk of court calls out when a judge enters a courtroom, at all levels of our legal system, from traffic court to the Supreme Court. We are asked to rise out of respect for the judge, who represents the judiciary branch of government, in which we place the even-handed enforcement of what we call the rule of law.