Kevin Bowling: The rule of law helps to keep the American Dream within reach for all
"The rule of law is what turns aspiration into opportunity," Kevin Bowling writes.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The views and opinions expressed are those of the writer and not of Ottawa News Network.
Every year on Law Day, we pause to reflect on something fundamental to our democracy: the rule of law. This year’s theme — “The Rule of Law and the American Dream” — asks a simple but powerful question: What makes opportunity real in America?
The answer is not abstract. It is practical. It is visible. And it plays out every day in courtrooms, clerk’s offices, and communities across Michigan.
The rule of law is what turns aspiration into opportunity.
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It is what allows someone to start a business with confidence that contracts will be honored. It is what gives families a place to resolve disputes peacefully. It is what ensures that when people walk into a courthouse, they are heard — not because of who they are, but because the system is designed to treat them fairly.
At its core, the rule of law means three things: no one is above the law, no one is beneath its protection, and decisions are made based on standards — not pressure, politics, or the loudest voice in the room.
That promise is the backbone of the American Dream.
But it does not live in statutes or court opinions alone. It lives in experience.
It lives in the small, human moments that shape how people encounter justice:
- When a judge explains a decision clearly.
- When a lawyer honors the process, even when it is inconvenient.
- When a court employee takes the time to help someone understand what comes next.
Those moments may seem ordinary, but they are not insignificant. They are how trust is built — and trust is the currency of the rule of law.
Without that trust, even the strongest legal system begins to weaken.
We see that risk today. We live in a time of rapid technology, constant connectivity, and information that moves faster than reflection. Social media can blur the line between fact and feeling. Artificial intelligence can amplify speed over judgment. Public discourse can reward outrage more than reason.
In that environment, the rule of law becomes even more important.
It slows us down. It insists on evidence. It values process over impulse. It reminds us that justice is not a reaction — it is a responsibility.
Democracy depends on that discipline.
Without the rule of law, democracy becomes unstable. Rights begin to feel temporary. Fairness becomes uncertain. And when fairness becomes uncertain, trust begins to erode.
The rule of law draws a critical line between majority rule and mob rule. It ensures that power is not the same as justice.
That is why courts matter so deeply.
Courts are not just places where cases are decided. They are where people decide whether the system can be trusted. For many, a single interaction — with a judge, a clerk, or a lawyer — shapes their entire view of justice.
And what people remember most is not always the outcome. It is how they were treated.
Were they listened to? Were they respected? Were they given a fair chance to be heard?
Those questions define whether justice feels real.
We should also be honest: the rule of law is not self-sustaining. It is strengthened — or weakened — by human choices.
It weakens when laws are applied unevenly. It weakens when truth is treated casually. It weakens when cynicism replaces trust.
And once trust is lost, it is difficult to rebuild.
That is why responsibility for the rule of law belongs to all of us.
For those who work in the legal system, it means making fairness visible in every interaction. For citizens, it means respecting the law not just out of obligation, but out of belief in its purpose. For communities, it means defending principles even when it is uncomfortable — or when they apply to people with whom we disagree.
The rule of law is sustained not just by enforcement, but by culture — by habits of honesty, civility, and respect.
So, what can we do?
Three commitments can make a difference.
First, stay alert. In an age of speed and instant judgment, we cannot outsource discernment — to algorithms, to noise, or to the pressure of the moment.
Second, stay civil. The way we disagree matters. Civility is not weakness; it is the discipline to engage without losing sight of our shared humanity.
Third, stay open. Access to justice must be real. Cost, complexity, language, and fear should never determine who gets heard.
Because ultimately, the rule of law is not just a legal principle, it is a lived experience.
It is the confidence that the system works. It is the belief that fairness is possible. It is the feeling that justice belongs to everyone.
That is what keeps the American Dream alive.
Every time we uphold fairness, explain a process, or treat someone with dignity, we are doing more than resolving a case — we are reinforcing a promise.
A promise that in this country, opportunity is not reserved for the few but protected for all.
On this Law Day, that is worth remembering — and worth protecting.
— Kevin J. Bowling, JD, MSJA, ICM Fellow, is the chief administrative officer for the International Association for Court Administration. This column was adapted from remarks at the Ottawa County Bar Association Law Day Dinner on April 30, 2026.
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