The San Fernando Valley Bar Association (SFVBA) Board of Trustees has issued the following statement regarding the independence of the judiciary following its February 13 meeting:
The San Fernando Valley Bar Association, in furtherance of its mission to uphold and defend the administration of justice, calls on our members and individuals in every position of leadership to support the following principles:
- Respect for the independence of the judiciary and the separation of powers guaranteed by the Constitutions of the United States and the State of California
- Respect for the intellectual honesty and integrity of the justices and judges of the courts who are compelled to decide each case based on the rules of law, justly applied
- Respect for all people without regard for age, ancestry, color, religious creed, disability, marital status, national origin, race, religion, gender or sexual orientation
“The San Fernando Valley Bar Association has a long history of supporting the independence of the judiciary,” explains SFVBA President Kira Masteller. “Our Board believes it is an appropriate time to communicate this important principle to our members, judiciary, elected officials and the public.”
“It is also the Bar’s mission to educate Valley residents about the law and our judicial system. The SFVBA Attorney Referral Service is planning workshops on the state of our immigration laws, which we will announce shortly. In the interim, we have private attorneys available to answer the public’s questions if they call (818) 340-4529 or visit www.sfvbareferral.com.”
