SCBA
President ’ s
COLUMN
Inauguration Day
by Bryan Kessler , Esq . Berg & Kessler
Coincidentally , my year as SCBA President timed perfectly with the United States presidential inauguration , so it was only fitting for me to attend ( especially since I missed the class trip to Washington during my junior year of high school for the inauguration of George W . Bush ). Shauna , Vaughan , Ellie , and I flew to Washington , D . C ., on January 17th and spent the weekend visiting the Smithsonian museums , the Lincoln Memorial , Arlington National Cemetery , and the many other memorials , monuments , and museums that Washington offers ( pictures on next page ). It was great seeing Vaughan and Ellie enjoy the history of our amazing country . Then , on January 20th , we witnessed the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States of America – an unforgettable experience . While the weather was cold , and the wait for noon seemed everlasting , witnessing our Constitution in action was surreal . It made me realize that life would be much different without our noble profession .
Did you know the presidential inauguration didn ’ t always occur on January 20th ? Article I , Section 4 , Clause 2 of the Constitution states that Congress must meet at least once a year . Notably , there were no specific dates . After the necessary nine states ratified the Constitution , the Congress of the Confederation , the governing body of the United States from March 1 , 1781 , until March 3 , 1789 , set March 4 , 1789 , as the date for commencing the new government . As a result , March 4 was deemed to be the beginning of the newly elected official ’ s terms of office , including the terms of their successors . From 1789 until 1937 , presidents recited the presidential oath and officially took office on March 4th . Upon ratifying the Twentieth Amendment to the United States Constitution on January 23 , 1933 , the presidential term started at noon on January 20th . If January 20th falls on a Sunday , the president recites the presidential oath during a private ceremony on the 20th , with the public inauguration occurring on the 21st ( most recently in 2013 ). The reason for this is to avoid a lengthy lame-duck period . While the delay might have been necessary in the 18th century to give newly elected officials time to get their affairs in order before traveling to Washington , it became an impediment to progress in the 20th century .
As SCBA ’ s newly inaugurated President , I am pleased to announce that we have several wonderful events in February . On February 6th , the Elder Law section is hosting a CLE about dementia and how it affects capacity . On February 20th , there is a General Membership Meeting with guest speaker , Mark Astor , Esq ., who will be presenting how Florida law can be used to save families whose loved ones suffer from substance abuse , mental issues , and failed attempts at recovery . It is sure to be a great presentation , with a bonus of CLE credit . Then , on Friday , February 27th , we have the annual Clay Shoot put on by the South County Division . If you haven ’ t already reserved your spot , do so quickly , as there is a limit of 120 shooters ! �
6 | THE DOCKET - FEBRUARY SUMMER 2024 2025