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Reitz Memorial High School

Reitz memorial high school

Reitz Memorial High School

Reitz Memorial High School, located in Evansville, Indiana, opened on January 5, 1925. It is a private, Catholic High School. It is in class 3A in the state of Indiana.

History

In 1922 Francis Joseph Reitz pledged the money for the school to be built, but didn't start until he found the perfect site for this school. He finally found a 13-Acre lot off of Lincoln Avenue. The original gym was located on the Auditorium's stage, where basketball games were played. Finally in 1969 the school did some remodeling, and added expanded first and second floors, a band room, a library, and a gymnasium that could hold up to 2,000 people. The format of the school pretty much remained the same until 1998, when a new addition, costing roughly $5 million would be added. The new wing, also known as "the west wing" added eight more classrooms, two art studios, two science labs, a wrestling room, a second smaller gymnasium, and a media center. This media center was home to new computers, a large amount of books, and a place where students could study quietly throughout the day. They also did some additions to the older part of the building. The entire school was finally hooked up with heat and air conditioning, as well as all new windows throughout the school. The final renovations increased the student capacity to 900 students.

Academics

Reitz Memorial High School has often been known for its high academic standards. In the 2001-2002 school year, it was recognized with a Blue Ribbon Award of Excellence in Education. This is an award not given out very often (only a few thousand schools have acheived this honor). It recognizes schools that "are models of excellence and equity, that demonstrate a strong commitment to educational excellence for all students, and that achieve high academic standards."

Athletics

Reitz Memorial High School offers a number of athletic teams for students. These include: Boys Football, Boys Soccer, Boys Tennis, Girls Volleyball, Girls Soccer, Girls Golf, Boys and Girls Cross Country, Boys and Girls Basketball, Wrestling, Boys and Girls Swimming, Boys Baseball, Boys Golf, Boys Track, Girls Softball, Girls Track, Girls Tennis, Girls Cheerleading, and a club sport of Hockey. Memorial also provides Pep Band, Marching Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, and Choir.

Miscellaneous

Memorial's colors are Royal Blue and White School Mascot is a Tiger MLB Hall of Famer Don Mattingly attended.

Evansville, Indiana

For other places named Evansville see Evansville (disambiguation). Evansville is a city located in Vanderburgh County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 121,582, making it the third largest city in the state of Indiana. The city is the county seat of Vanderburgh County. In 2004 Evansville was named an "All-America City" by the National Civic League.. The city is situated on a gentle horseshoe bend on the Ohio River and for this reason it is often referred to as "River City." It was commonly referred to as "Stop Light City" before the city's Interstate 164 bypass was constructed. It serves as a regional hub for the Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois tri-state area.

Geography

Evansville is located at 37°58'38" North, 87°33'2" West (37.977166, -87.550566). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 105.6 km² (40.8 mi²). 105.4 km² (40.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.15% water. The city faces the Ohio River along its southern boundary.

Climate

Evansville has a moderate climate and four distinct seasons. Average temperatures range from 32 degrees Fahrenheit to 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Annual rainfall averages 42 inches and annual snowfall averages 13 inches.

Demographics

Evansville is Indiana's third largest city and the regional hub for the tri-state area of Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. According to the census of 2000, there are 121,582 people and 30,527 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,153.4/km² (2,987.0/mi²). There are 57,065 housing units at an average density of 541.3/km² (1,402.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the Evansville is 86.24% White, 10.92% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.72% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.49% from other races, and 1.37% from two or more races. 1.14% of the population is Hispanic or Latino of any race. LatinoThere are 52,273 households out of which 26.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.8% are married couples living together, 13.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 41.6% are non-families. 35.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 13.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.24 and the average family size is 2.90. In the city the population is spread out, with 22.7% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 88.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 85.1 males. The median income for a household in the city is $31,963, and the median income for a family is $41,091. Males have a median income of $30,922 compared to $21,776 for females. The per capita income for the city is $18,388. 13.7% of the population and 10.1% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 19.0% of those under the age of 18 and 8.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. Like the rest of Indiana, Evansville has long been noted for its hospitality and generosity. Following the Evansville Tornado of November 2005 the coordinating officer for the Federal Emergency Management Agency noted, "I don't think I've ever seen a community of people come out so quickly to help each other. All communities come together after a disaster, but this one is exceptional." [http://www.courierpress.com/ecp/news/article/0,1626,ECP_734_4239245,00.html]

Cultural Features

Points of Interest

Federal Emergency Management Agency]Casino Aztar's entertainment facility includes a 2,700 passenger riverboat casino and a riverfront pavilion that houses pre-boarding facilities, retail shops, restaurants, and lounge area. An enclosed walkway links the pavilion to a first-class 250 room hotel, complete with meeting and banquet facilities. An attached parking garage offers over 1,600 sheltered parking spaces with easy access to the casino, pavilion, and hotel. Evansville's Mesker Park Zoo opened in 1928. Mesker Park is Indiana's oldest and largest zoo. Set on a spacious 40-acre park, the zoo features over 500 animals roaming freely in natural habitats surrounded by exotic plants, wildflowers, and trees. Angel Mounds State Historic Site is nationally recognized as one of the best preserved prehistoric Native American sites in the United States. From 1100 to 1450 A. D., a town on this site was home to people of the Middle Mississippian culture. Several thousand people lived in this town protected by a stockade made of wattle and daub. Because Angel Mounds was a chiefdom (the home of the chief) it was the regional center of a large community that grew outward from it for many miles. It is one of 16 state museums and historic sites in Indiana. Bosse Field (opened 1915) is the third oldest baseball stadium still hosting professional games (#2 and #1 being Chicago's Wrigley Field (1914) and Boston's Fenway Park (1912), respectively). Game scenes in A League Of Their Own were filmed there.

Festivals

A League Of Their Own]The West Side Nut Club Fall Festival is a street fair held in the area west of Downtown Evansville. It is held on the first full week of October. According to the West Side Nut Club, the Fall Festival is the second largest street festival in the United States; it is eclipsed only by the famous Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans. Each July the city plays host to the [http://www.evansvillefreedomfestival.org/index.htm/ Evansville Freedom Festival]. It includes the "Thunder on the Ohio" hydroplane races, a firework extravaganza over the Ohio River, and more. The United States Navy's Blue Angels have also been a big crowd pleaser in recent years. In the last weekend of August the popular Frog Follies takes place, when over 4000 street rods converge on the Vanderburgh County 4-H fairgrounds just north of the city.

Arts & Museums

Blue Angels]The Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra (EPO) is the largest arts institution in the tri-state area. Founded in 1934, The EPO is a professional orchestra comprised of approximately 80 musicians led by Music Director Alfred Savia. Each year, the EPO presents a seven-concert classics series, 4 double pops performances, 2 Casual Classics Series concerts and special event concerts, as well as numerous educational and outreach performances. The Evansville Museum of Arts, History and Science is home to one of southern Indiana's most established and significant cultural centers. It holds the Koch Planetarium, the oldest in Indiana. Also on the campus is the The Evansville Museum Transportation Center, which features transportation in southern Indiana from the latter part of the Nineteenth Century through the mid-Twentieth Century. The Reitz Home Museum is Evansville's only Victorian House Museum. It is noted as one of the country's finest examples of Second French Empire architecture. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. During World War II Evansville produced 167 LSTs (and 35 other craft), making it the largest inland producer of LSTs in the nation. In October, 2005 USS LST 325 was moved to an Evansville dock and to turned into a museum. It is the last navigable LST in operation today.

Sports

Although high school athletics are a constant source of local patronage, the University of Evansville and University of Southern Indiana regularly draw thousands of spectators to NCAA Division I and Division II sporting events. The city has had an indoor football team since the 2002-2003 season called the BlueCats which plays at Roberts Stadium, and, since 1995, a baseball team called Evansville Otters [http://www.evansvilleotters.com/index.html] which plays in the Frontier League at Bosse Field. Roberts Stadium, a frequent facility for both sports and concerts, seats 13,232 spectators, features four star locker rooms and a press room. The Goebbel Socer Complex is a $3.4 million project built on 70 acres of land. It features nine Olympic-size irrigated Bermuda grass fields and one $550,000+ Olympic-size AstroPlay turf field, only the second field of its kind in Indiana.

Parks

The city oversees the operation of 65 parks and 21 special facilities encompassing more than 2,300 acres of land in the City of Evansville and Vanderburgh County, Indiana. Among these are three popular 18-hole public golf courses and one 9-hole golf course. Located on nearly 200 acres of rolling hills in western Vanderburgh County, Burdette Park features an aquatic center with water slides, three pools, and a snack bar. It also offers a BMX racing track, batting cages, softball diamonds, miniature golf, tennis courts, and locations for fishing. Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve is a National Natural Landmark with nearly 200 acres of virgin bottomland hardwood forest. The Nature Center features exhibits, events, wildlife observation areas, meeting rooms, library, and gift shop.

Law & Government

Burdette Park]The Mayor of Evansville, Jonathan Weinzapfel, serves as the chief executive officer and a nine-member elected City Council is the legislative branch of city government. The City of Evansville is the county seat for Vanderburgh County. In recent years there has been a considerable push to unify the Evansville city and Vanderburgh county governments. [http://www.citycountystudy.com/] The current proposal calls for a Mayor and Deputy Mayor, who would be appointed by the mayor, and a 15 member Metro Council composed of 15 persons: Three at-large members and 12 members elected by the Voters of the City. Currently the proposal is under review and has not received the necessary support from area state representatives and senators. Vanderburgh County's delegation to the Indiana State House of Representatives is comprised of four representatives: Dennis Avery (District 75), Trent van Haaften (District 76), Phil Hoy (District 77), and Suzanne Crouch (District 78). Evansville and Vanderburgh County are represented by two state senators. In general, the southern third of the county and Armstrong Township are part of District 49, currently held by Larry Lutz. The county's west side is also in District 49. Most of the county is in District 50, which extends to the east, by a seat held by Vaneeta Becker. The region is located in the 8th District of Indiana ([http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/in08_109.gif map]) and served by U.S. Representative John Hostettler.

Education

The city and county are divided into a nationally recognized public school system of 20 elementary schools, 11 middle schools, and five public high schools. In addition there are two Catholic high schools, one private, and a charter school.
- Signature School, Indiana's first Four Star charter high school, is currently seeking to become an International Baccalaureate Programme.
- Evansville Day School offers grades K-12. The school's enrollment including all grades is 258. Though often just two universities are listed for Evansville, the University of Southern Indiana (USI) and the University of Evansville, Indiana University School of Medicine also has a presence in the city. The [http://shaw.medlib.iupui.edu/ecme/ecmepage.htm Evansville Center for Medical Education] is located on the campus of USI. Both Ivy Tech State College and ITT Tech have locations in the city as well.

Transportation

Ivy Tech State College] Immediate access to all major forms of transportation makes Evansville an important factor in Indiana's global economy. The city boasts an excellent road, rail, water, and air transportation system. It is bounded on the north by Interstate 64, extending west to St. Louis, Missouri and east to Louisville, Kentucky. Interstate 164 provides a convenient link from Interstate 64 to the city's thriving eastside retail district and a direct route to Henderson, Kentucky. Interstate 69 will soon be extended to Evansville, creating a new international trade corridor from Canada to the Rio Grande Valley. Engineering design began in 1997 and construction schedules are currently being planned. The Evansville Regional Airport, housed in a 140,000 sq. ft. terminal, offers over 50 flights a day to destinations around the country. A complimentary shuttle service is offered from the airport to major hotels. The Metropolitan Evansville Transit System (METS) provides bus transportation to all sections of the city.

Business & Employment

Evansville is the regional center for a large trade area in Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois. Originally a ferry landing, the town was founded in 1812 by Hugh McGary. Later, it was the terminus of a failed Wabash & Erie Canal (1853), a furniture and cigar manufacturing capital (into the early 1900s when German immigrants shaped the city's character), a railroad and refrigerator center, and lately a plastics industry kingpin. During the final third of the 20th century, the transition was made from a small river town to a commerical, medical, and service hub for a tri-state region with 700,000 residents. Many of the city's businesses, including Mead Johnson Nutritionals, a division of Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Whirlpool Corporation are part of multinational operations. A 1990s economic spurt was fueled by the growth of the University of Southern Indiana, which now has 10,000 students, and the arrival of giant Toyota and AK Steel plants as well as Casino Aztar, Indiana's first gaming boat. Evansville is also the corporate headquarters for Accuride, Atlas Van Lines, Berry Plastics, Old National Bank, Shoe Carnival, and Vectren. The City of Evansville also offers a unique pro-business tax structure for companies locating inside the Evansville Urban Enterprise Zone. Established in 1983 as one of only six enterprise zones in the State of Indiana, the 2.1 square mile Evansville Urban Enterprise Zone offers inventory tax credits and other tax credits to eligible businesses.

Media

The principal daily newspaper is the Evansville Courier & Press, which is owned by the E.W. Scripps Company. The newspaper also publishes the monthly Evansville Business Journal for the region. Evansville Living, a bi-monthly city magazine published by the Tucker Publishing Group, showcases the people, businesses, and community. The city has a total of 30 radio stations that include adult contemporary, big band, classical, jazz, rock, country, oldies, and easy listening formats. The University of Evansville's WUEV FM is a non-commercial station that plays a variety of alternative, classical, and jazz music. Evansville is the 100th-largest television market in the United States according to Nielsen Media Research. The local broadcast television stations are:
- WEHT ABC Channel 25
- WEVV CBS Channel 44
- WTVW FOX Channel 7
- WFIE NBC Channel 14
- WTSN PAX Channel 63
- WNIN PBS Channel 9
- WWAZ WB Channel 19

History

Settled by pioneer immigrants some 200 years ago, the city of Evansville is situated on a gentle horseshoe bend on the Ohio River. The first cabin built in Evansville was built in 1809, home of George Miller. As testament to the Ohio's grandeur, the early French explorers named it La Belle Riviere ("The Beautiful River"). Before the pioneers, Evansville was home first to an ancient community of Native Americans called the Mississippians. Evansville was laid out in 1817, and was named in honor of Robert Morgan Evans (1783-1844), one of its founders, who was an officer under then General William Henry Harrison in the War of 1812. It soon became a thriving commercial town, with an extensive river trade, was incorporated in 1819, and received a city charter in 1847. The completion of the Wabash and Erie Canal, in 1843, from Evansville to Toledo, Ohio, a distance of 400 miles, greatly accelerated the city's growth. Evansville's first railroad company, Evansville & Crawfordsville Railroad, was built in 1850. Evansville's main street was paved in 1889. In 1932 the first bridge from Evansville crossing the Ohio River was built. On November 6, 2005, the Evansville Tornado of November 2005 caused 22 deaths in Newburgh and Evansville.

Famous People from Evansville

- Chic Anderson, sportscaster
- Andy Benes, baseball player
- Bud Boetticher, director of western movies and Ohio State University football star
- Avery Brooks, actor - Uncle Tom's Cabin, American History X, A Man Called Hawk, Spenser: For Hire, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
- Calbert Cheaney, NBA basketball player
- Elbert Frank Cox, mathematician
- Neal Doughty, keyboard player, REO Speedwagon
- Louis J. Koch, creator of Holiday World
- Ron Glass, actor "Barney Miller", "Firefly"
- Bob Griese, football player
- Roy Halston Frowick fashion designer (graduated from Bosse High School)
- Bob Hamilton, professional golfer and winner of the 1944 PGA Championship
- Lee Hamilton, former U.S. Congressman
- Kevin Hardy, football player
- Don Mattingly, baseball player
- Walter McCarty, NBA basketball player
- Michael Michele, actress - "ER"
- Marilyn Miller, stage and screen actress of the 1920s - 30s
- Robert D. Orr (1917-2004), former governor of Indiana
- Paul Osborn (1901-1988), playwright, including screenplay for East of Eden
- Scott Rolen, baseball player
- Ray Ryan, oil man, property developer, gambler and multi-millionaire
- Ruth Siems, Stove Top Stuffing creator
- Larry Stallings, NFL linebacker
- Matt Williams TV producer - "The Cosby Show", "Roseanne", "Home Improvement", playwright

Trivia

- The national headquarters Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is located in Evansville.
- The first Sears department store was opened on October 5, 1925 in Evansville.
- The Evansville Crimson Giants were a National Football League team from 1921-2. The MLB Triple A Evansville Triplets played in Evansville from 1970-1984.

External Links

- [http://www.frogfollies.org/ Frog Follies]
- [http://www.evansvillecvb.org Evansville Convention & Visitors Bureau]
- [http://www.evansville.net/user/boneyard/index.html The Evansville Boneyard]
- [http://www.emuseum.org/ Evansville's museum]
- [http://www.evansvilleotters.com/ Evansville Otters]
- [http://www.evpl.org/ Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library] Category:All-America City Category:Cities in Indiana Category:Vanderburgh County, Indiana

Blue Ribbon Award of Excellence in Education

The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created to honor schools. Established in 1982 by Secretary of Education Terrell Bell, the program first honored only secondary schools. Then it was expanded to include primary schools. Then it was changed again to honor secondary schools and primary schools in alternation. The program has recognized more than 3,000 schools since its inception, and many have won the award multiple times--the first school to do so being Brumfield Elementary School in Princeton, Indiana (1987-1988 and 1991-1992 school years). States, territories, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Department of Defense Education Activity Schools have joined the competition over the years. Special emphases have changed from year to year based on national priorities. To be selected for recognition, a school conducts a self-evaluation -- a process that allows teachers, students, parents and community representatives to assess their strengths and weaknesses and develop strategic plans for the future. The school then submits a written application, including information on their progress toward achieving the National Education Goals. A review panel selects what they consider the most promising schools for site visits by experienced educators who submit reports on their findings. The review panel considers the reports and makes recommendations to the U.S. Secretary of Education, who announces the schools selected for recognition.

References

- [http://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/2001/10/20011024.html Blue Ribbon Schools - Remarks of U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige] (public domain US government work)
- [http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/02-1996/blues.html Riley Names 266 Blue Ribbon Schools] (public domain US government work) Category:Education in the United States Category:United States Department of Education

Don Mattingly

Donald Arthur Mattingly (nicknamed "Donnie Baseball" and "The Hit Man") (born April 20, 1961) was a star left-handed baseball player (first baseman) for the New York Yankees in the 1980s. He grew up in Evansville, Indiana and was one of the nation's top prospects as a high school player at Reitz Memorial High School in 1979, even earning a brief write-up in Sports Illustrated magazine. However, most Major League Baseball teams were sure he was going to college, and didn't draft him. The Yankees took a chance, and were able to sign Mattingly after selecting him in the 19th round of the 1979 amateur draft. The sweet-swinging lefty immediately proved it was a wise decision, terrorizing pitchers in the Yankee farm system. He batted .349 in 1979, .358 in 1980, .316 in 1981 and made it to the majors late in the 1982 season after batting .315 for Triple-A Columbus. Mattingly spent his official rookie season of 1983 as a part-time first baseman and outfielder, waiting for a full-time spot in the lineup to open up. Mattingly wore number 46 during his rookie season. He played well, hitting .283, but with little power. That part of his game arrived in 1984, when he became the Yankees' full time first baseman, switched his uniform number to 23, and was an MVP candidate. He hit .343 and beat out teammate Dave Winfield for the American League batting title by getting 4 hits in 5 at-bats on the last day of the season, while slugging a league-leading 44 doubles to go with 23 home runs and 110 RBI. He followed that up with a spectacular 1985 season, winning the MVP award in the American League; he batted .324 with 35 home runs and 145 RBI, then the most RBI in a season by a major league batter since Ted Williams hit 159 in 1949. He may have been even better in 1986, when he hit .352 with a league-leading 238 hits and 53 doubles. However, he was beat out in the American League MVP voting by pitcher Roger Clemens, who also won the Cy Young Award that year. (It is somewhat controversial and rare for a pitcher to win the MVP award, with position players often winning the award even when a pitcher has a stand-out spectacular season.) In 1987, Mattingly tied a major league record by hitting home runs in eight consecutive games. Also in 1987, he set a major league record by hitting six grand slam home runs in a season. (Curiously, the six grand slams in 1987 were the only grand slams he hit in his entire career.) Mattingly remained among the game's best first basemen throughout the 1980s, winning the Gold Glove Award for his fielding and a spot on the American League All-Star team each year in the mid to late 1980s. As late as 1989, he seemed to be on pace to shatter several career hitting records. It all came crashing down in 1990, when Mattingly began to suffer from severe back problems. He tried to play through it, but struggled with the bat and had to go on the disabled list in July. He came back late in the season but was still ineffective. He underwent extensive therapy in the off-season and made it into the lineup in 1991. He was still an above-average hitter, but the injuries had robbed him of much of his power. He played five more seasons, but never again batted higher than .304 (and that was in the strike-shortened 1994 season) or hit more than 17 home runs. In 1995 Mattingly finally reached the postseason with the Yankees. He proved he was a big time player by providing dramatic hits during the divisional playoffs against the Seattle Mariners and batting .417 in five games; however, the Yankees lost the series in five games after being up two games to none. (Mattingly described the plane ride home after the series as a "flying funeral"; no one on that Yankee team could believe they lost.) Mattingly did not play after that season and finished his careerwith 2,153 hits, 222 home runs, 1,099 RBI and a .307 lifetime average, but never winning or playing in a World Series. Most baseball fans and experts agree that he is the best Yankee player to have never played in a World Series with the team. While he did not play in 1996, (a year in which the Yanks ended a 14 year pennant and World Series drought---ironically the entire length of Mattingly's career)he did not officially hand in his retirement papers until 1997. The Yankees retired his number 23 and dedicated his plaque for Monument Park at Yankee Stadium on August 31, 1997. The plaque calls him "A humble man of grace and dignity, a captain who led by example, proud of the Pinstripe tradition and dedicated to the pursuit of excellence, a Yankee forever." Mattingly is a candidate for election into the Baseball Hall of Fame. However, observers note that his chances are severely hurt by his relatively short career and the fact that his strong seasons were limited to a six year period between 1984 and 1989. Mattingly has never been named on more than 28% of ballots cast for the hall of fame, and most recently in 2005 he was only named on 11% of the ballots. (For election, a player must be mentioned on 75% of the ballots.) After the 2003 season, he was hired by the Yankees to be their new hitting coach, a post he continues to hold today. Less widely known than the Curse of the Bambino, the Curse of the Billy Goat and other baseball jinxes is The Curse of Donnie Baseball. The Yankees won the American League pennant in 1981. Mattingly's first season with the Yankees was 1982. He last season as an active player was 1995. The Yankees won the World Series in 1996. Mattingly's number retirement and Monument Park plaque dedication came in 1997, the last season (through 2005) in which the Yankees did not win the American League Eastern Division title. The next season, 1998, the Yankees began a run of five American League pennants in six seasons. Then came 2004, Mattingly's first season as the team's hitting instructor. In his first two seasons on the job, the Yankees failed to win the pennant despite winning their division and having the highest payroll in baseball. This has led to the suggestion that the Yankees will never win a pennant as long as Mattingly is in uniform. Don Mattingly married Kim Sexton on September 8, 1979. They have 3 sons: Taylor, Preston, and Jordan. During the late 1980s and early 90s, Don Mattingly was owner of a restaurant in Evansville called "Mattingly's."

External links

- [http://www.don-mattingly.com/ The official website of Don Mattingly]
- [http://www.donniebaseball.com/ Un-Official Don Mattingly Tribute Site]
- [http://www.donmattingly23.com/ Don Mattingly Fans' Website]
- Mattingly, Don Mattingly, Don Mattingly, Don Mattingly, Don Mattingly, Don Mattingly, Don Mattingly, Don Mattingly, Don Mattingly, Don Mattingly, Don ja:ドン・マッティングリー

Pravo

Pravo je mnoštvo pravil, ki urejajo najpomembnejše odnose v določeni družbi. Pravila so dolžni spoštovati vsi, ki so na območju njihove veljave, tj. teritoriju države. Smatra se, da naslovljenci pravna pravila poznajo (nepoznavanje prava škodi), to pa se zagotavlja s predhodno objavo pravil v uradnem glasilu države, npr. v Uradnem listu. Učinkovitost pravil zagotavljata država in lokalna skupnost s svojimi institucijami: sodišči, policijo, tožilstvom, upravnimi organi, izvršilnimi organi. Tako država posameznikom prepove reševanje sporov z nasiljem (zakon močnejšega) in jo pridrži sebi (državna represija), v zameno pa posameznikom ponudi reševanje sporov v pravnem postopku. Pravna pravila v demokratičnih družbah oblikuje ljudstvo, in sicer preko predstavniškega telesa (parlament). Temeljna pravila so osnovana v ustavi, splošna v zakonih, podrobnosti pa v podzakonskih aktih. Posamezniku določajo, kaj je prepovedano, nadaljnja pravila pa v okviru tega oblikuje sam oz. v soglasju s sopogodbeniki (civilno pravo). Država nasprotno sme početi le tisto, kar ji je izrecno zapovedano (javno pravo). V demokratičnosti je temeljni element prava - omejevanje samovoljne vladarjeve oblasti. Pravna pravila so hierarhično organizirana: nižje pravilo mora biti vsebinsko in postopkovno usklajeno z višjim. Se pravi, zakon mora biti v skladu z ustavo, pogodba pa z Obligacijskim zakonikom. Skladnost presoja Ustavno sodišče. Ob boku tega so pravna pravila široko organizirana po panogah; tj. področjih življenja, ki jih urejajo.

Pravniki

Pravnik je oseba, ki se poklicno (profesionalno) ukvarja s pravom. V glavnem pade pod eno naslednjih kategorij:
- sodnik - sodi na sodišču;
- odvetnik - zastopa stranke v postopkih pred sodiščem in pravnih poslih nasploh;
- notar - opravlja posle, z zakonom poverjene notariatu: overitve podpisov in listin, neposredno izvršljivost pogodb in podobno. Njihova glavna funkcija je olajšati pravni promet.
- zastopnik naploh - ne nujno odvetnik; zastopa stranko v njenih pravnih poslih Prvi trije rabijo za svoj status diplomo pravne fakultete, opravljen državni pravniški izpit po dvoletnem pripravništvu, in sprejetje v svojo zbornico (sodiniki še imenovanje na položaj; to opravi Državni zbor na predlog sodnega sveta - po tem uživajo doživljenski mandat). Sodniki, notarji, odvetniki in pravniki nasploh se združujejo v zbornice oz. društva. Prvi trije imajo obvezno članstvo v svoji zbornici; in ta jim predpisuje marsikaj - od etičnih kodeksov, do pravnih pravil dela, in seveda tarife. Zbornica ima tudi častno sodišče; čeprav je jasno, da zastopa in brani svoje člane, in jih zato redko obsoja. Zastopnik je navadno oseba s končano pravno fakulteto in morda opravljenim državnim pravniškim izpitom. Lahko tudi brez vsega. Stranko lahko zastopa v praktično vseh postopkih; le v postopkih z izrednimi pravnimi sredstvi je obvezno zastopanje po odvetniku. Navsezanje; izbira zastopnika je strankina odločitev. Zastopniki so bistveno cenejši od odvetnikov in notarjev; marsikateri so tudi zelo dobri. Največje spremembe v pravniških vrstah doživljajo notarji. Trenutna ureditev je že dovoli overitev podpisov upravnim enotam (90% cenejše od notarjev) in obeta podvojitev števila notarjev.

Temeljna načela pravnega sistema

Pravo vsekakor ni samo v sebi namen. V družbo vnaša red, s tem da normiranje dopustnega in nedopustnega s kar vseh prenese na demokratično izvoljeno predstavniško telo (parlament). Nadaljno monopolizira pravico do uporabe sile državnim organom, tj.kaznovanja nedopustnega, in to vse po ustreznem postopku (due process). Učinkovitost pravne ureditve - se pravi, kako hitro, kako pravilno in kako pravično gladi spore v praksi, je druga stvar, in kaže na legitimnost pravne ureditve ter zaupanje državljanov v pravo in njene institucije, zlasti sodišča, policijo, vlado in parlament. Pravičnost je težko oprimeljiva kategorija. Ljudje imamo svoje lastne, parcialne interese in gledanja, kaj je pravično. Kraja gotovo ni - ali pač? Interes večine, tj. javni interes je tisto, kar prevlada v demokraciji. Ene države so bolj liberarno usmerjene, druge bolj socialno - tak je tudi njihov pravni sistem. Eno pa je gotovo - določeni minimalni standardi pravičnosti (v zahodnem besednjaku: demokratičnosti) so skupni oz. naj bi bili skupni vsem deželam in pravnim ureditvam:
- spoštovanje človekovih pravic - temeljnih pravic, brez katerih ne gre;
- pravna enakost - enako obravnavanje posameznikov, ki so v bistvenih značilnostih enaki
- pravna predvidljivost (pravna varnost) - sigurnost, da bo pravilno, dospustno ravnanje tudi v prihodnosti tako in tako, in da se ne bo arbitrarno spreminjalo. Ima veliko upraviti z učinkovitostjo prava - tj. zaupanjem, da bodo sodišča in izvršilni organi hitro obravnavali zadevo;
- načelo zakonitosti in vladavine prava - da bo država (in predvsem država) sama spoštovala pravo in dosledno počela samo tisto, kar ji je zapovedano;
- in še jih je. Znani so tudi pod imenom naravno pravo.

Delitev prava na panoge

Pravo se v samem temelju deli na zasebno pravo in javno pravo. Zasebnemu rečemu tudi civilno pravo ali pravo državljanov. Njegova značilnost je, da ga s svojimi dogovori prosto oblikujejo stranke (v mejah zakona). Civilno pravo se deli na:
- obligacijsko pravo - pravo obveznosti (pogodbe, odškodninske obveznosti, ..);
- stvarno pravo - pravo pravic na stvari (zlasti lastninske pravice);
- dedno pravo - pravo prehoda lastnine umrlega na dediče;
- družinsko pravo - pravo osebnih stanj (zakonska zveza, zunanjzakonska skupnost, družina). Javno pravo se ukvarja z javnim interesom državljanov in se deli po področjih dela:
- ustavno pravo - pravo človekovih pravic, organizacije državne oblasti in temeljnih ekonomsko-socialnih razmerij, lokalna samouprava
- upravno pravo - pravo organizacije in delovanja državne uprave (glej zlasti upravni postopek)
- kazensko pravo - pravo kaznovanja storilcev kaznivih dejanj (in drugih kaznivih ravnanj), določa kaznivo dejanje in sankcijo zanj, ter postopek ugotavljanja storilstva
- pravo gospodarske ureditve - gospodarske družbe, posebej banke in zavarovalnice, finančni predpisi
- javne finance - pravo proračunskih porabnikov (proračun; zakonitost in smotrnost porabe javnih sredstev)
- pravo socialne varnosti - zdravstveno in pokojninsko zavarovanje, otroški dodatek, socialne pomoči, ...
- mednarodno pravo - zlasti pravo Evropske skupnosti
- posebne zvrsti, npr. vojno in vojaško pravo. Druga pomembnejša delitev je na materialno in postopkovno pravo.
- materialno pravo določa pravice in obveznosti.
- postopkovno pravo določa postopek uveljavljanja teh pravic in obveznosti.

Veliki pravni sistemi

V zgodovini se je, kot spodaj, pravo na veliko spreminjalo. Sprva je ščitilo interese vladajočega razreda, in to zelo dolgo. Sčasoma postane enako za vse. Vendar so po svetu izoblikovani različni modeli pravnih sistemov:
- anglosaški pravni sistem (ZDA, Velika Britanija in posnemovalci) - močan poudarek na sodiščih in sodno stvarjenem pravu;
- kontinentalni pravni sistem (ostala Evropa) - nasprotno, močan poudatek na splošni ureditvi s strani zakonodajalca;
- islamsko, kanonsko in druga verska oz. druga doktrinarna prava - prava določene institucije, denimo Cerkve ali vladarja; oblikovana so po doktrini te institucije. Pravna pravila teh pravnih sistemov so v temelju različno zastavljena. Evtanazijo v Vermontu, ZDA sicer dopušča zakon, vendar so sodišča tista, ki odločajo o kaznovanju pomočnikov pri smrti iz usmiljenja. Na kontinentu je razen v parih državah (Švica, Nizozemska, Belgija) dosledno prepovedana z zakonom; sodišča gor ali dol. Islamsko pravo jo zavrača kot [http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/re/sanctity/iseuthanasiarev3.shtml kršitev Alahove volje].

Mednarodno pravo

Pravna pravila, ki veljajo v večih državah, so mednarodna (tudi supranacionalna). Za Slovenijo je najbolj pomembno pravo Evropskih skupnosti, zlasti EU. Poenotenje pravne ureditve na svet (globalizacija) olajša mednarodno poslovanje pravnim subjektom in povečuje mednarodno menjavo. Na drugi strani tri velike svetovne ekonomskopolitične regije - ZDA, JP in EU+Rusija (vsi trije s sateliti) - izkoriščajo svojo pravno ureditev, da bi svoji regiji pridobile prednost pred drugima dvema. Mednarodni dogovori v smer res globalne ureditve svetovne trgovine (WTO) so sklenjeni, a v praksi daleč daleč od uresničitve.

Pravniška definicija prava

Pravo je sistem kot celota učinkovitih pravnih pravil in pravnih načel, ki urejajo zunanja vedenja in ravnanje posameznikov in njihovih združenj v življenjsko pomembnih družbenih razmerjih. Narava in funkcija prava se je spreminjala skozi zgodovino. V sodobnih družbah pooblaščeno telo, na primer zakonodajalec ali sodišče, ustvarja pravo. Pravo je podprto z državno monopolizirano fizično prisilo, ki uveljavlja pravo s sredstvi primernih ukrepov ali kazni. Pravo ima različne namene. Kazensko pravo, na primer, pomaga vzdrževati mirno, urejeno in relativno stabilno družbo. Sodna oblast skrbi za mirno in civilizirano reševanje sporov. Stvarno in obligacijsko pravo omogočata poslovanje in gospodarsko aktivnost. Javno pravo v prvi vrsti omejuje moč države proti posamezniku in mu s tem zagotavlja določen nivo svobode.