The ACLU of Maine was honored to present its annual Justice Louis Scolnik Award to Jack Simmons of Falmouth at a dinner in Freeport on May 1.
In a legal career spanning 50 years, Jack distinguished himself as a passionate advocate for the rights of the accused, fighting for Miranda rights, the presumption of innocence and equal protection under the law. Beyond the courtroom, he has been a persuasive advocate for civil liberties, often using his legal knowledge to stand up for privacy, LGBT rights and criminal justice reform - most recently testifying before the Maine Legislature in favor of our bill to require warrants for police searches of cell phones.
From the members of the legal community that turned out to help us honor Jack, it is also clear that he is one of the most well-respected trial lawyers in Maine.
The Justice Louis Scolnik Award was established in 1989 to honor members of the legal community who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the protection of civil liberties. The award is named for former Maine Supreme Court Justice Louis Scolnik, a co-founder and the first president of the Maine Civil Liberties Union (now the ACLU of Maine).
