Choudrant, La. – On Friday, March 12, 2010, American Judicial Alliance, a national organization based in Louisiana, dedicated twenty-eight bibles to north Louisiana courts at Squire Creek Country Club in Choudrant, Louisiana.

The Bibles are dedicated in replication of a tradition held by the United States Supreme Court for over one hundred years.  One of America’s most interesting justices, John Marshall Harlan (I) began the tradition by donating his personal Bible to the court.  Since that time, every Supreme Court Justice has signed the “Harlan” Bible. 

Friday night’s dinner featured a keynote by nationally-known historian and author, William J. Federer, whose books include “America’s God and Country,” “What Every American Needs to Know about the Qur’an” and “The Original 13: a Documentary History of Religion in America’s first Thirteen States.”

American Judicial Alliance (AJA) and its daughter organization, Retired Judges of America (RJA) are led by Retired Judge Darrell White and Jason Stern.  Both men share a vision for “awakening the conscience of One Nation Under God” and for restoring the importance of both the Bible and the Constitution to American jurisprudence.

Judge John Slattery of Springhill City Court said, “We are so grateful to receive this Bible into our court.  The Framers knew what they were doing when they established this nation. It’s our duty to continue that vision.”

 “American Judicial Alliance intends to place a Bible in every courtroom in America and to ask active and retired judges all across America to join the “Harlan tradition” of signing the Bible and utilizing them in their courts,” said Retired Judge Darrell White.

American Judicial Alliance is based in Baton Rouge, La. and has so far dedicated approximately 100 Bibles to courts across the South including the Supreme Courts of Louisiana and Texas.

Join us at Frank’s Restaurant in Prarieville next Thursday, February 4th at 8:00 AM as we dedicate a commemorative Bible to the Louisiana 23rd Judicial District Court. 

Please RSVP by contacting Retired Judge Darrell White or Jason Stern at the office or by emailing us through the website.  Breakfast will be served.

It was in 1906 that America’s 45th Supreme Court Justice – John Marshall Harlan (1833-1911) – donated a Bible to the Supreme Court of the United States, and its flyleaf pages have been signed by every justice without fail since that date. Retired Judges of America (RJA) has begun replicating that venerable tradition by donating signatory presentation Bibles to courts throughout our nation. Each of the Bibles dedicated by RJA contain the gold-imprinted date on the cover of May 1st.

Why is that? Because since 1958, May 1st has been set aside as “Law Day” – a special day of celebration by Americans to appreciate our liberties and reaffirm our loyalty to the United States. By statute (36 U.S. Code Section 113), it is set aside to cultivate respect for law.

On May 1st of 2008, America will celebrate the 50th anniversary of “Law Day” with the following theme: The Rule of Law: Foundation for Communities of Opportunity and Equity.

What better way to celebrate Law Day this year than to give your local court a presentation Bible so that its judges now and in perpetuity may have a tangible reminder that, as Justice Story wrote in 1833 (the same year Harlan was born) that: “I verily believe Christianity necessary to the support of civil society. One of the beautiful boasts of our municipal jurisprudence is that Christianity is a part of the Common Law. . . . There never has been a period in which the Common Law did not recognize Christianity as lying its foundations.”

Retired Judges of America’s (RJA’s) Judge Darrell White (Retired) and Jason Stern were received with “northwestern” (U.S.A.) hospitality at Restore America’s third annual conference in Portland, Oregon held during February 22-23, 2008. 

Hundreds of attendees expressed keen interest (and surprise) to learn of the 100-year old “Harlan Bible” tradition pursuant to which U.S. Supreme Court justices, upon being sworn in, each sign the flyleaf of a keepsake Bible in the custody of the Court’s curator.  Judge White explained how this venerable tradition is being repeated in courts across America.

Of note:  Christian Law Association Attorney David Gibbs, III, explained sad features associated with Terri Schiavo’s court-ordered dehydration, Judge White explained how Retired Judges of America was incorporated on the very day Schiavo died – March 31, 2005.  Interest was keen over the subject of judicial activism especially in light of Oregon’s recent court-ordered nullification of petitions in favor of a statewide marriage protection amendment.

Retired Judges of America looks forward to helping Oregonians restore America–one court at a time!

Restore America Conference

Retired Judges of America will attend the Conference and have an opportunity to tell our story at a Friday luncheon.  Stop by and say hi!

 Here’s an overview of the Restore America Conference Info:

In a time when the values that made America a great nation are under attack You Must Make a Difference! Learn from nationally known speakers at the Restore America Conference, Feb 22-23, 2008 at Rolling Hills Community Church, Tualatin, OR.

• Click here for more information about the conference and to register. 

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPxnUOgImdg[/youtube]