Judge Advocates from the Region Legal Service Office Naval District Washington (RLSO NDW) and the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals (NMCCA) took advantage of a unique opportunity to tour the Library of Congress’s exhibit, Magna Carta: Muse and Mentor, Jan. 14, 2015.
The Lincoln Magna Carta is one of only four surviving copies of the charter created and distributed by King John of England in 1215. Widely considered to be the first charter to limit the powers of the king, it was created in response to the demands of the country’s barons. Although the original charter was nullified by Pope Innocent III a few weeks after its distribution, language from the document would be recycled in subsequent royal charters and decrees. The interpretation and implementation of ideas expressed in the Magna Carta would eventually lead to the beginnings of several legal theories (the right to due process, the jury system, etc.) we depend on today.
JAGs are responsible for implementing a system of laws, the origins of which hail back to this nearly 800 year old document.
"When time allows, I think it is important to take advantage of unique opportunities like this in the Washington D.C. area that add to an officer's professional education and growth, no matter their rank or years of service," said Lt. Cmdr. Ken Ian, senior law clerk, NMCCA.
Law students participating in the JAG Corps’ externship program also attended.
“I appreciated the opportunity to visit the Library of Congress for the first time, and to learn more about the Magna Carta” said Kyle Helmick, currently a 2L at Georgetown who is participating as an extern at RLSO NDW.