Rendering Justice

THE AMERICAN JUSTICE SYSTEM, like the United States generally, is a Heinz 57 hodge podge of traditions and theories borrowed from other, older cultures, mostly English. The fact that the U.S. has fifty one judicial - legal systems only complicates matters, and makes necessary an entire comprehensive theory of law, called "conflicts". "Conflicts of law" is the system which determines original jurisdication for litigation, and litigation which involves activity inmore than of of these United States. My father (1918-1986) was a tort lawyer who studied under one of the greatest jurists in American history, Dr. robert J. Leflar (1900-1997), who spent decades teaching at the law school at the University of Arkansas. The law school at that university is now named in his honor. He also had a "side job" teaching in the summer at the New York University School of Law. At various times both Supreme Court Chief Justices Earl Warren and Warren Burger flew across the country to visit with Dr. Leflar, and to get his advice and knowledge concering some issue with conflicts of law, a subject which the Supreme Court often, with ultimated jurisdiction over all fifty state legal systems, has reason to be involved. I had the great honor of meeting Dr. Leflar when I was about fifteen years old. My father took me to the university, presumably to get me accustomed to the environment, since we all knew that I was headed for college, somewhere. He also wanted to swing by and see Dr. Leflar. I remember dad telling me that we would have no trouble finding Leflar: simply go to the law library, and he would be there, with his nose in some volumnious legal tome. That is exactly what happened. the esteemed professor walked with us around the campus, and although we were accompanied by a retinue of other people, I will never forget aht Leflar spent the entire time paying attention to me, the runt of the group. Dad had brought with him a valuable, old law book, which he donated to the law library, which greatly appreciated the gift. Years later, I was in graduate school, and dropped by Dr. Leflar's office, with a new copy of his autobiography, "One Life In the Law" tucked securely under my arm. I left it with an administrative assistant, with my request that Dr. Leflar autograph it. Indeed he did. When I returned to pick it up, he had written to my father: "With fond remembrances for days gone by". When I presented it to my father, who was by then himself retired from legal practice (although his former professor, Dr. Leflar, was, amazingly, still working , at the age of eighty two), he burst into tears of joy. Maybe that's why I have, even in today's legally chaotic environment, a deep and abiding respect for the system of justice in the U.S.A.. With people like Robert J. Leflar as role models, its easy to be respectful.