Chattooga County State Court Judge Jon Dennis spoke to seventh and eighth graders at Menlo Elementary School on Friday morning about the U.S. Constitution.  Judge Dennis was there at the invitation of Principal Paula Buice to speak with the students.

Judge Dennis told the students that he had taken two oaths to defend the Constitution, once when he became an attorney and another when he was sworn-in as state court judge.  Judge Dennis also told the students about his father, a World War II veteran who fought to defend the U.S. Constitution.  Dennis said, “My dad stood beside me in 1999 when I was sworn in as an attorney, but had passed away by the time I was elected judge. I spoke of how tears filled my eyes during both times, thinking of the sacrifices the Great Generation made to defend in action our Constitution, and spoke of how I defended our Constitution only with paper and pen”.

Judge Dennis went on to talk to the students about how the U.S. Constitution has been a force in the peaceful transition of power in the United States and about various topics such as civil rights, the assassination of President Kennedy and the fact that President Carter – the oldest living President and native of Georgia, is nearly half as old as the United States Constitution.
Judge Dennis then took questions form the students which included questions about how long he had to go to law school; how much money a state court judge makes and if he interviews his clients before becoming their attorney.

Judge Dennis said that he was impressed with the new school facility – and with the attention and questions asked by Menlo’s seventh and eighth graders.