Annual Third Circuit Courts, Community and Rule of Law Committee Essay Contest

The Courts, Community, and Rule of Law Committee of the Judicial

Council of the Third Circuit announced today that it is hosting an essay contest for

elementary students focused on civics, citizenship, and the concept of whether the

Constitution addresses grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence. The essay

prompt is: Does the United States Constitution address the grievances in the

Declaration of Independence? If so, explain how.

The Third Judicial Circuit is comprised of the U.S. Court of Appeals as well as the

Federal District Courts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and the U.S. Virgin

Islands. The latter are trial courts, which include bankruptcy courts. Chief Circuit Judge

Michael A. Chagares noted that “It is incumbent on us, as federal judges, to engage with

our youth and to offer a robust civics education program.” The Committee and its

members are partnering with bar associations, civic organizations, and educational

institutions across the geographical reach of the Third Circuit to promote and oversee the

essay contest.

The essay may be written by either an individual student or by an entire class. If a

class essay, students within a participating class should work together to write the essay.

That means that only one essay is submitted on behalf of the Class. Individual and class

essays must be submitted on or before Tuesday, March 31, 2026. The best individual and

class essays in each district (District of Delaware, District of New Jersey, Eastern District

of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania, and

the District of the Virgin Islands) of the Third Circuit will be invited to one of the nine

courthouses in the Third Circuit to present their essays during the first weeks of May, in

celebration of Law Day. The individual and class essays will be judged separately based

on focus, content development, organization, and style. Prizes will be awarded.

Circuit Judge D. Brooks Smith, who chairs the Courts, Community, and Rule of

Law Committee overseeing the contest, stated “Our hope is that the topic for this year

will inspire our young citizens to learn what ‘independence’ meant to America’s

Revolutionary generation. It is only by gaining an understanding of both how and why

American colonists sought independence from a king can we come to know how precious

the gift of freedom truly is.”

For more information about the essay contest, please visit the Third Circuit Court

of Appeals website HERE or contact 267-299-4306.