ABA accepting nominees for Silver Gavel Award

The American Bar Association welcomes entries for the 58th Annual Silver Gavel awards. The deadline to enter is Jan. 9. This award recognizes the outstanding work of professionals in the media and the arts that fosters the American public's understanding of law and the legal system. This is the ABA's highest honor in recognition of this purpose and only one Silver Gavel is presented in each category. Complete the entry form online. Entries must have been originally published, produced or presented in 2014. There is no limit on the number of entries that may be submitted; however, a particular entry can only be submitted in one category. Depending on the category, a hard-copy or mail-in submission may be required. The eligible categories are books, magazines, newspapers, commentary, drama and literature, documentaries, television, radio and other media. Guidelines for the award are available online. Distinguished past awardees include: - Sidney Lumet's 1957 jury room drama "Twelve Angry Men" - Classic 1962 film of Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" - The 1964 "Blacklist" episode of "The Defenders" - Nina Totenberg's 1974 NPR coverage of Watergate - The 1983 PBS Fred Friendly series "The Constitution: That Delicate Balance" - The 1994 public radio series, "May It Please the Court" with Peter Irons - The 2007 Denver Post series, "Lawless Lands: The Crisis in Indian Country" - Andrew Cohen's 2011 commentary on the death penalty in The Atlantic - "The Central Park Five" by Florentine Films in 2012 (Ken and Sarah Burns) - Jess Bravin's 2014 book "The Terror Courts" published by Yale University Press The Association has presented these awards annually since 1958. The 18-member ABA Standing Committee on Gavel Awards makes final award decisions. Finalists will be announced on March 11. Winners will be announced on May 13. ABA President William Hubbard will present the awards on July 21 in Washington, D.C. To learn more about the Silver Gavel Awards, go to www.ambar.org/gavelawards. Published: Wed, Dec 31, 2014