Erwin Chemerinsky, a constitutional scholar and dean of the new University of California/ Irvine's Donald Bren Law School, will be the featured speaker at the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union's annual Bill of Rights dinner on Oct. 18.

Chemerinsky, who specializes in federal civil procedure, has taught at Duke and DePaul universities, written several books and magazine articles and argued cases before the United States Supreme Court.

The West Virginia ACLU dinner will also honor Paul Sheridan, a deputy attorney general, and the late Jack McOwen, elected as first president of the state ACLU in 1971.

Sheridan, who has worked for the attorney general's Consumer Protection Division since 1990, will be given the Roger Baldwin Award for advancing civil liberties in West Virginia.

He organized the West Virginia Hate Crime Task Force in 1992 and has worked with the West Virginia Holocaust Education Commission and West Virginia Patriots for Peace.

McOwen, a Huntington native who served on the Cabell County Democratic Committee, will be posthumously given the Sid Bell Memorial Award for service to the ACLU.

The annual dinner, held at the Edgewood Country Club in Charleston, will begin at 5:30 p.m. The event will also feature drinks, an art auction and live music by The Blue Notes, a local jazz trio.

Tickets are $75 and must be reserved by Tuesday. Contact Jesse Lyons at 345-9246 or jly...@acluwv.org.

Chemerinsky, who specializes in federal civil procedure, has taught at Duke and DePaul universities, written several books and magazine articles and argued cases before the United States Supreme Court.

The West Virginia ACLU dinner will also honor Paul Sheridan, a deputy attorney general, and the late Jack McOwen, elected as first president of the state ACLU in 1971.

Sheridan, who has worked for the attorney general's Consumer Protection Division since 1990, will be given the Roger Baldwin Award for advancing civil liberties in West Virginia.

He organized the West Virginia Hate Crime Task Force in 1992 and has worked with the West Virginia Holocaust Education Commission and West Virginia Patriots for Peace.

McOwen, a Huntington native who served on the Cabell County Democratic Committee, will be posthumously given the Sid Bell Memorial Award for service to the ACLU.

The annual dinner, held at the Edgewood Country Club in Charleston, will begin at 5:30 p.m. The event will also feature drinks, an art auction and live music by The Blue Notes, a local jazz trio.

Tickets are $75 and must be reserved by Tuesday. Contact Jesse Lyons at 345-9246 or jly...@acluwv.org.