American Judicial Alliance

Archive for April, 2008

Over 1.5 million Hoosiers with “In God We Trust” license plates are no doubt gratified that they can hold onto their license tags.  A state judge has dismissed litigation brought by the ACLU alleging that it was unconstitutional to put America’s National Motto on state license plates. Marion Superior Court Judge Gary Miller’s refreshing opinion should help restore confidence in America’s judiciary.  He wrote, ”Courts are not to second-guess the Indiana General Assembly when it comes to calculations of this sort.” In part, the ACLU had claimed that Indiana was giving the motto “preferential treatment” and should charge the vanity plate fee for the “In God We Trust” message since it isn’t the standard state plate. However, the legislation authorizing the plate in 2006 specifically directed the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to offer the plate for free.  Thank you Judge Miller for reminding all judges that “we just work here” when it comes to interpreting the laws and Constitution. 

It’s still the National Motto – not the National Anachronism.

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.”