Preamble

Whereas, we believe that our traditional jury system, both civil and criminal, is the one system of jurisprudence which guarantees necessary safeguards for the protection of the rights of person and property, and that this system should be preserved in its essence; andWhereas, in the year 1958 when this organization was founded our society was and continues to be confronted with a problem of increasing congestion of available trial courts, and with generalized dissatisfaction with the court processes; and

Whereas, certain persons whom we deem misguided have espoused radical formulae intended to relieve this problem which include drastic changes in the trial court system in general, and in the process of jury trials in particular; and

Whereas, we believe it is self-evident that our court system is confronted with the same problems in organization and in efficient management as are faced by all phases of our modern society, and as the operation of our courts is becoming more complex due to population trends and new areas of litigation requiring an enlargement of the bench and improvement in the management of trials; and

Whereas, we further believe that these problems can and should be solved with little or no change in the basic principles of litigation traditional in our system of jurisprudence, inherited from our forefathers; and that the profession can assist in the solution of these problems by aiding attorneys engaged in trial practice in attaining a higher degree of knowledge and skill in the art of advocacy and by inculcating in trial attorneys the highest precepts of integrity and ethical standards; and

Whereas, we further believe that there is a pressing need for an organization within the legal profession which will undertake to discover, encourage and recognize attorneys who can supply society's needs for advocates combining skill and integrity, and which organization will further undertake to educate the laity as to the benefits inuring to society from such attorneys who affirmatively support and steadfastly stand by our jury system;

NOW, THEREFORE, we reciprocally and morally bind ourselves to expend the reasonably necessary time, effort and funds to form and maintain an association, not operated for profit, composed of practicing lawyers whose paramount practice is contested litigation in which the right to jury trial is insured by constitutional provision.