This year’s Law Day theme encourages all Americans to reflect on the importance of the rule of law in our lives and on what we can do as a nation to “advance the rule of law now.” We are fortunate to live in a society where individuals and institutions are held accountable to a system of laws that are promulgated openly and enforced equally by an independent judiciary. The rule of law provides the foundation for just societies characterized by peace, stability, economic opportunity and respect for fundamental rights.

On this Law Day 2021, I would like to focus on a core element of the rule of law—ensuring that every individual is treated equally under the law. As judges and lawyers, we know and understand that the existence or even the perception of bias and discrimination in the courts and the justice system undermines public faith in the legitimacy of our cherished legal institutions.