In the Strauss Black Box Theatre at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center

Free public event will explore how due process affects everyday life, families, and democratic institutions. 

The Kirkwood Human Rights Commission will host a public conversation on due process and the rule of law on Monday, May 18, at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center, featuring former Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael Wolff. 

The free event will explore how due process—often discussed in legal terms—shapes everyday life, from protecting individual rights to ensuring fairness in government decisions that affect families and communities. 

The program will take the form of a moderated fireside conversation, followed by audience Q&A. The discussion will begin with the fundamentals of due process—what it is and why it matters—before examining how those protections are applied in today’s legal and civic landscape. 

The event comes at a time of ongoing national conversation around issues such as immigration enforcement, detention, and access to legal representation. The Commission aims to provide a clear, accessible understanding of how due process functions and why it remains central to a fair and accountable system of government. 

“Due process is the principle that government must act fairly before it exercises power over a person’s life,” said David Hartung, Chair of the Kirkwood Human Rights Commission. “This conversation is about helping our community understand why it matters--not just in theory, but in everyday life.” 

About the Speaker: 
Michael Wolff brings extensive experience in law and public service. He served for thirteen years on the Supreme Court of Missouri, including as a chief justice, and later served as dean of Saint Louis University School of Law. 
“Due process is one of the oldest and most important restraints on arbitrary power,” said Michael Wolff. “A free society does not measure itself only by what laws it enforces, but by whether it enforces them fairly, openly, and with meaningful opportunity to be heard.”