News Conference to Defend Missouri Courts

Bar Holds News Conference to Defend Missouri Courts from Inaccurate and Unfair Rhetoric Being Used to Advance House Joint Resolution 1

Audio (0:46 minutes)	C. Ronald Baird: HJR1 would strip from the public their rights of access to the state courts for cases involving public education, property taxes, eminent domain and many other disputes. The rhetoric stating that judges are unelected, would fail to follow the Constitution and could levy taxes against the people of Missouri is without merit, inaccurate and unfair.
Audio (2:09 minutes)	Hon. Ann K. Covington: “No state court has ever levied or threatened to levy taxes – only the General Assembly can do that. Everyone in government knows that. What is the average Missourian left to think if this materially inaccurate statement goes without rebuttal?"
Audio (1:29 minutes)	Prof. Doug Abrams: “House Joint Resolution 1 threatens to upset Missouri’s system of checks and balances for the first time in nearly 200 years. I know of no other constitutional provision that has ever stripped jurisdiction from Missouri courts.”