Roy Stuart Moore
Former Chief Justice of Alabama Supreme Court
In office January 15, 2001 – November 13, 2003
Preceded by	Perry O. Hooper, Sr.
Succeeded by	Drayton Nabers, Jr.
Circuit Judge, Sixteenth Judicial Circuit
In office 1992 – 2000
Preceded by	Julius Swann
Born	February 11, 1947 (1947-02-11) (age 60) Gadsden, Alabama
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Kayla Kisor
Children	Ory Moore Caleb Moore Micah Moore Heather Moore (adopted)
Religion	Baptist
Website	Foundation for Moral Law

Roy Moore is a controversial American jurist and politician noted for his refusal, as the elected Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama, to remove a monument of the Ten Commandments from the courthouse despite orders from a federal court judge to do so. On November 13, 2003 Alabama's Court of the Judiciary unanimously removed him from his post as Chief Justice. In the years preceding his election to the Alabama Supreme Court, Moore had successfully resisted previous attempts to have a display of the Ten Commandments removed from his courtroom. The controversy around Moore generated national attention and strong opinions on both sides. Roy Daniel Moore (born October 26, 1898 in Austin, Texas; died April 5, 1951 in Seattle, Washington) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. ... Image File history File links Moore_Picture_(tn). ... The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth- or other countries with an Anglosaxon type of justice, such as the Supreme Court of the United States, the Supreme Court of Canada, the Supreme Court of New Zealand, the Supreme... The Supreme Court of Alabama is the highest court in the state of Alabama. ... is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 317th day of the year (318th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Drayton Nabers is the current Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. ... is the 42nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Gadsden is a city in and the county seat of Etowah County, northeastern Alabama, United States, approximately 60 miles northeast of Birmingham. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Baptist is... A jurist is a professional who studies, develops, applies or otherwise deals with the law. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A politician is an individual who is a formally recognized and active member of a government, or a person who influences the way a society is governed through an understanding of political power and group dynamics. ... The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth- or other countries with an Anglosaxon type of justice, such as the Supreme Court of the United States, the Supreme Court of Canada, the Supreme Court of New Zealand, the Supreme... The Supreme Court of Alabama is the highest court in the state of Alabama. ... This article is about a list of ten religious commandments. ... is the 317th day of the year (318th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Roy Moore's supporters regard his stand as a defense of "judicial rights" and the Constitution of Alabama, and an act of interposition analogous to the actions of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson in the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions. Opponents contend that Moore's actions were deliberate provocations carried out in defiance of the First Amendment as interpreted by the Supreme Court of the United States, and that Moore seeks to impose the moral positions of Southern Baptists on the public. The Alabama Constitution is the basic governing document of the U.S. state of Alabama. ... Interposition, in the context of the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, refers to an asserted right of U.S. states to protect their individual interests from federal violation or any abridgement of states rights deemed by those states to be dangerous or unconstitutional. ... Madison redirects here. ... Thomas Jefferson (13 April 1743 N.S.–4 July 1826) was the third President of the United States (1801–09), the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and one of the most influential Founding Fathers for his promotion of the ideals of Republicanism in the United States. ... Thomas Jefferson. ... The first ten Amendments to the U.S. Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      The Supreme Court of the United States (sometimes colloquially referred to by the... The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a United States cooperative ministry agency serving missionary Baptist churches around the world. ...

Roy Moore unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination to the governorship of Alabama in 2006, losing to incumbent Bob Riley in the June 2006 primary. The following is a list of the governors of Alabama. ... Robert Renfroe Bob Riley (born October 3, 1944) is an American politician in the Republican Party. ...

Early life

Education and military service

Moore attended public schools and graduated in 1965 from Etowah County High School. On the recommendation of outgoing Democratic U.S. Representative Albert Rains and confirmed by incoming Republican Representative James D. Martin, Moore was admitted to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, where he graduated in 1969 with a bachelor of science degree. With the Vietnam conflict undeway, Moore first served in several posts as a military police officer, including Fort Benning, Georgia, and Illesheim, Germany before being sent to Vietnam. Moore served as company commander of his MP unit and was known to be very strict (to the point of earning a reputation as "being a stickler for constant salutes and regulation haircuts in the midst of war")^[1]), earning him the derogatory nickname "Captain America." His role earned him several enemies, and he so feared being fragged that he recalls in his autobiography sleeping on sandbags to avoid a grenade or bomb being tossed under his cot. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... The House of Representatives is the larger of two houses that make up the U.S. Congress, the other being the United States Senate. ... Albert McKinley Rains (March 11, 1902 - March 22, 1991) was a U.S. Representative from Alabama. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... James Douglas Martin (born September 1, 1918) was a Politician from the U.S. State of Alabama. ... USMA redirects here. ... West Point painting West Point is a federal military base (and a census-designated place) located in the Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York. ... Also: 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ... B.S. redirects here. ... The Vietnam War was a war fought between 1957 and 1975 on the ground in South Vietnam and bordering areas of Cambodia and Laos (See Secret War) and in bombing runs (Rolling Thunder) over North Vietnam. ... Fort Benning is a base facility of the United States military outside Columbus, Georgia. ... The Singapore Armed Forces Military Police Command providing security coverage at the Padang in Singapore during the National Day Parade in 2000. ... Frag refers to the following: In the context of war, a frag is commonly known as an assassination of an unpopular member of ones own fighting unit, by dropping a fragmentation grenade into the victims tent. ...

Moore left the United States Army as a captain in 1974, and was admitted to the University of Alabama School of Law that same year, graduating with a Juris Doctor degree in 1977. After graduating, he returned to his hometown of Gadsden and began private practice, focusing on personal injury and insurance cases. The United States Army is the largest and oldest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... Captain is a rank or title with various meanings. ... The University of Alabama (also known as Alabama, UA or colloquially as Bama) is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA. Founded in 1831, UA is the flagship campus of the University of Alabama System. ... “J.D.” redirects here. ... Gadsden is a city in and the county seat of Etowah County, northeastern Alabama, United States, approximately 60 miles northeast of Birmingham. ... Insurance, in law and economics, is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent loss. ...

Elections and travels

Moore soon moved to the district attorney's office, working as Etowah County's first full-time deputy prosecutor. During his tenure there, Moore was investigated by the state bar for "suspect conduct" after convening a grand jury to discuss what he perceived to be funding shortages in the sheriff's office. Several weeks after the state bar investigation was dismissed, Moore quit his prosecuting position to run as a Democrat for the county's circuit-court judge seat in 1982. The election was bitter, with Moore alleging that cases were being delayed in exchange for payoffs. The allegations were never substantiated, and Moore overwhelmingly lost the election. A second bar complaint followed, and though this too was dismissed, Moore left Gadsden shortly thereafter. Etowah County is a county of the State of Alabama. ... In the American common law legal system, a grand jury is a type of jury which determines if there is enough evidence for a trial. ... Look up Sheriff in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ...

Moore's travels eventually took him to Texas, where he spent a year training and fighting professionally as a kickboxer. After a brief return to Gadsden, Moore next travelled to the Australian Outback and, after meeting Fundamentalist Christian Colin Rolfe, worked for almost a year as a cowboy on Rolfe's 42,000 acre (170 km²) cattle ranch. He remembered both careers fondly in his autobiography and subsequent interviews and was particularly proud of a kickboxing victory in the Greater Gadsden Tournament of Champions, a triumph he attributed to divine will. Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... Kicking to left side Kickboxing refers to sport-fighting using kicks and punches and sometimes throws and bows representing a certain martial art or can be practiced for general fitness, or as a full-contact sport. ... For the restaurant chain, see Outback Steakhouse; for the station wagon, see Subaru Outback. ... Fundamentalist Christianity is a fundamentalist movement, especially within American Protestantism. ... For other uses, see Cowboy (disambiguation). ... This article is about a type of land use and method of raising livestock. ...

Moore returned to Gadsden again in 1985. He ran in 1986 for Etowah County's district attorney position against fellow Democrat Jimmy Hedgspeth. He lost that election as well, and Moore returned to private practice in the city. During this period, he married his wife Kayla, switched his affiliation to the GOP, and added to his office a wooden Ten Commandments plaque that he had personally carved in 1980. This article is about the year. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the modern United States Republican Party. ... This article is about a list of ten religious commandments. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ...

Circuit Judge

Appointment

In 1992, Etowah County Circuit Judge Julius Swann died in office. Republican Governor Guy Hunt was charged with making a temporary appointment until the next election. Moore's name was floated by some of his associates, and a background check was initiated with several state and county agencies, including the Etowah County district attorney's office. Moore's former political opponent Jimmy Hedgspeth, who still helmed the D.A.'s office, recommended Moore despite personal reservations, and Moore was installed in the position he had failed to win in 1982. "The impossible had happened!" Moore wrote afterward. "God had given me something that I had not been able to obtain through my own efforts."[1] For other uses, see Governor (disambiguation). ... Harold Guy Hunt (born June 17, 1933 in Holly Pond, Alabama) is an American politician who served two terms as the Governor of Alabama from 1987 to 1993. ...

Early prayer/Ten Commandments controversy

Roy Moore's wooden Ten Commandments plaque.

When Moore's tenure as circuit judge began, he brought his wooden Ten Commandments plaque with him, hanging it on the walls of his courtroom behind his bench. Moore told the Montgomery Advertiser that his intention in hanging the plaque was to fill up the bare space on the courtroom walls and to indicate the Ten Commandments' importance to him. He states that it was never his intention to generate controversy; still, as he told the Atlantic, he understood that the potential for controversy was there, but "I wanted to establish the moral foundation of our law." Image File history File links Moore_plaque. ... Image File history File links Moore_plaque. ... This article is about a list of ten religious commandments. ...

Soon after his appointment, when Moore presided over a case where two male strippers (known professionally as "Silk" and "Satin") were charged with murdering a drug addict, the attorney for the defendants objected to the display. This drew the attention of critics, who also objected to Moore's practice of opening court sessions with a prayer asking for divine guidance for jurors in their deliberations. (In at least one instance, Judge Moore asked a clergyman to lead the court's jury pool in prayer.) Though such pre-session prayers were not uncommon in Alabama, having begun many years earlier by George Wallace when he was a circuit judge, the local branch of the ACLU sent a letter in June 1993 threatening a lawsuit if such prayers did not cease. George Corley Wallace, Jr. ... The American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, is a non_governmental organization devoted to defending civil rights and civil liberties in the United States. ...

On June 20, 1994, the ACLU sent a representative to Moore's courtroom to observe and record the pre-session prayer. Though the organization did not immediately file suit, Moore decried the action as an "act of intimidation" in a post-trial press conference. The incident drew additional attention to Moore just as he was campaigning to hold onto his circuit court seat. In that year's election, Moore won the seat in a landslide victory over local attorney Keith Pitts, who had (unsuccessfully) prosecuted the "Silk and Satin" murder case. is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ...

Lawsuit

In March 1995, the ACLU filed its lawsuit against Moore, claiming that the pre-session prayers and the Ten Commandments display were both unconstitutional. This original lawsuit was eventually dismissed for technical reasons, but Governor Fob James instructed state Attorney General Bill Pryor to file suit in Montgomery County in support of Moore. The case ended up before state Circuit Judge Charles Price, who in 1996 declared the prayers unconstitutional but initially allowed the Ten Commandments plaque to remain on the courtroom walls. Forrest Hood Fob James, Jr. ... William Holcombe Pryor, Jr. ...

Immediately after the ruling, Moore held a press conference vowing to defy the ruling against pre-session prayers and affirming a religious intent in displaying the plaque. Critics responded by asking Price to reconsider his previous ruling, and the judge issued a new ruling requiring the Ten Commandments plaque to be removed in ten days. Moore appealed Price's decision and kept the plaque up; ten days later the Alabama Supreme Court issued a temporary stay against the ruling. The Court never ruled in the case, throwing it out for technical reasons in 1998.

On the day that the circuit court ruling was stayed, Moore appeared on the national morning program Today, praising the ruling and vowing to continue his practices. A poll released soon after found that 88% of Alabamians supported Moore's stance. Though Moore was later investigated by the state Judicial Ethics Committee regarding the use of money raised by Coral Ridge Ministries in his defense, the investigation eventually ended with no charges being brought. The practice of opening court sessions with prayer, though not uniform throughout Alabama, continues in state courtrooms to this day. Today, commonly referred to as The Today Show to avoid ambiguity, is an American morning news and talk show airing weekday mornings on the NBC television network. ... Dennis James Kennedy, Ph. ...

Chief Justice, Alabama Supreme Court

Campaign and election

In late 1999, the Christian Family Association began working to draft Moore into the race for Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. In December 1999, Moore announced from his Etowah County courtroom his entry into the race, promising to "return God to our public life and restore the moral foundation of our law." His campaign centered on religious issues, arguing that Christianity's supposedly declining influence "corresponded directly with school violence, homosexuality, and crime."[2]

Moore's opponent in the election, sitting Supreme Court justice Harold See, was heavily favored by the state business community and the Republican establishment, leading many observers to think little of Moore's entry in the race. However, as Moore made headway in state polls, See elicited the help of Republican strategist Karl Rove in the 2000 election. Despite Rove's support and significantly more campaign funding, See lost the Republican primary to Moore, who easily defeated Democratic contender Sharon Yates in November's general election. Moore was sworn in on January 15, 2001. Harold Frend See, Jr. ... A strategy is a long term plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. ... Karl Christian Rove (born December 25, 1950) is Deputy Chief of Staff to President George W. Bush until the end of August 2007. ... For other uses, see Primary. ... is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ...

D.H. vs. H.H.

In February 2002, Chief Justice Moore issued an opinion which expressed his belief that the State should rightfully use its powers to punish homosexual behavior. The case, D.H. vs. H.H., was a custody dispute where a lesbian mother was petitioning for custody of her children, alleging abuse by her ex-husband. A circuit court in Alabama had ruled in favor of the father, but the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals overturned that verdict 4-1, claiming that substantial evidence existed of abusive behavior by the father.^[2]

The state Supreme Court overruled the appeals court on technical reasons; however, Chief Justice Moore issued a concurring opinion concluding that a parent's homosexuality should be a deciding factor in refusing custody:

To disfavor practicing homosexuals in custody matters is not invidious discrimination, nor is it legislating personal morality. On the contrary, disfavoring practicing homosexuals in custody matters promotes the general welfare of the people of our State in accordance with our law, which is the duty of its public servants...

The State carries the power of the sword, that is, the power to prohibit conduct with physical penalties, such as confinement and even execution. It must use that power to prevent the subversion of children toward this lifestyle, to not encourage a criminal lifestyle...

Homosexual behavior is a ground for divorce, an act of sexual misconduct punishable as a crime in Alabama, a crime against nature, an inherent evil, and an act so heinous that it defies one’s ability to describe it. That is enough under the law to allow a court to consider such activity harmful to a child. To declare that homosexuality is harmful is not to make new law but to reaffirm the old; to say that it is not harmful is to experiment with people's lives, particularly the lives of children.^[3]

Moore's comments, particularly those appearing to endorse the execution of homosexuals, led to protests in front of the state judicial building and drew nationwide criticism from civil rights groups such as GLAAD, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and the Human Rights Campaign. An official complaint with the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission was also filed by the Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund.^[4] Civil rights or positive rights are those legal rights retained by citizens and protected by the government. ... Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation or GLAAD is an organization intended to promote and ensure fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. ... The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) is an organization working for the civil rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in the United States. ... HRC logo The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is one of the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equal rights organization in the United States. ... Lambda Legal (formerly Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund), formed in 1973, is an American non-governmental organization devoted to promoting the legal rights of gay men and lesbians, bisexuals, the transgendered, and people with HIV or AIDS, through impact litigation, education, and public policy work. ...

Ten Commandments monument controversy

Construction and installation

Ten Commandments monument commissioned by Roy Moore.

A month after his election, Moore began making plans for a larger monument to the Ten Commandments, reasoning that the Alabama Supreme Court building required something grander than a wooden plaque. His final design involved a 5,280 pound (2400 kg) granite block, three feet wide by three feet deep by four feet tall, covered with quotes from the Declaration of Independence, the national anthem, and various founding fathers.^[5] The crowning element would be two large carved tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments. High-grade granite from Vermont was ordered and shipped, and Moore found benefactors and a sculptor to complete the job. Image File history File links Moore_monument. ... Image File history File links Moore_monument. ... This article is about a list of ten religious commandments. ... For other uses, see Monument (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see granite (disambiguation). ... A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ...

Late the night of July 31, 2001, despite some initial installation difficulties and concerns regarding structural support for the monument's weight, Moore had the completed monument transported to the state judicial building and installed in the central rotunda. The installation was filmed, and videotapes of the event were sold by Coral Ridge Ministries, an evangelical media outlet which later used proceeds from the film's sales to pay Moore's ensuing legal expenses.^[6] is the 212th day of the year (213th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Dennis James Kennedy, Ph. ...

The next morning, Moore held a press conference in the central rotunda to officially unveil the monument. In a speech following the unveiling, Moore declared, "Today a cry has gone out across our land for the acknowledgment of that God upon whom this nation and our laws were founded....May this day mark the restoration of the moral foundation of law to our people and the return to the knowledge of God in our land."

Federal lawsuit

On October 30, 2001, the ACLU of Alabama, Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Southern Poverty Law Center were among groups which filed suit in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, asking that the monument be removed because it "sends a message to all who enter the State Judicial Building that the government encourages and endorses the practice of religion in general and Judeo-Christianity in particular." is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is the common name for an American organization consisting of two separate entities. ... Americans United for Separation of Church and State (Americans United or AU for short) is an advocacy group in the United States which promotes the separation of church and state, a legal doctrine derived from the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. ... The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is an American non-profit legal organization, whose stated purpose is to combat racism and promote civil rights through research, education and litigation. ... The case of Glassroth v. ... Map of the boundaries of the United States Courts of Appeals and United States District Courts The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. ... Jacob wrestling an angel, by Gustave Doré (1832-1883), a shared Judeo-Christian story. ...

The trial, titled Glassroth v. Moore, began on October 15, 2002. Evidence for the plaintiffs included testimony that lawyers of different religious beliefs had changed their work practices, including routinely avoiding visiting the court building to avoid passing by the monument, and testimony that the monument created a religious atmosphere, with many people using the area for prayer. The case of Glassroth v. ... is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ...

Moore argued that he would not remove the monument, as doing so would violate his oath of office:

[The monument] serves to remind the Appellate Courts and judges of the Circuit and District Court of this State and members of the bar who appear before them, as well as the people of Alabama who visit the Alabama Judicial Building, of the truth stated in the Preamble to the Alabama Constitution that in order to establish justice we must invoke 'the favor and guidance of almighty God.'^[5]

On this note, Moore claimed that the Ten Commandments are the "moral foundation" of U.S. law, stating that in order to restore this foundation, "we must first recognize the source from which all morality springs...[by] recogniz[ing] the sovereignty of God." He added that the addition of the monument to the state judiciary building marked "the beginning of the restoration of the moral foundation of law to our people" and "a return to the knowledge of God in our land."^[5]

Additionally, Moore acknowledged an explicit religious intent in placing the monument, agreeing that the monument "reflects the sovereignty of God over the affairs of men" and "acknowledge[s] God’s overruling power over the affairs of men."^[7] However, in Moore's view this did not violate the doctrine of separation of church and state; as the presiding judge later summarized it, Moore argued that "the Judeo-Christian God reigned over both the church and the state in this country, and that both owed allegiance to that God", although they must keep their affairs separate.^[5] Constantines Conversion, depicting the conversion of Emperor Constantine the Great to Christianity, by Peter Paul Rubens. ...

Judgment and appeal

On November 18, 2002, federal U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson issued his ruling declaring that the monument violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and was thus unconstitutional: is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... The first ten Amendments to the U.S. Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. ... The first ten Amendments to the U.S. Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. ... Page I of the Constitution of the United States of America Page II of the United States Constitution Page III of the United States Constitution Page IV of the United States Constitution The Syng inkstand, with which the Constitution was signed The Constitution of the United States is the supreme...

If all Chief Justice Moore had done were to emphasize the Ten Commandments' historical and educational importance... or their importance as a model code for good citizenship... this court would have a much different case before it. But the Chief Justice did not limit himself to this; he went far, far beyond. He installed a two-and-a-half ton monument in the most prominent place in a government building, managed with dollars from all state taxpayers, with the specific purpose and effect of establishing a permanent recognition of the 'sovereignty of God,' the Judeo-Christian God, over all citizens in this country, regardless of each taxpaying citizen's individual personal beliefs or lack thereof. To this, the Establishment Clause says no."^[5]

Judge Thompson's decision mandated that Moore remove the monument from the state judicial building by January 3, 2003, but stayed this order on December 23, 2002, after Moore appealed the decision to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. This appeal was argued on June 4, 2003, before a three-judge panel in Atlanta, Georgia. On July 1, 2003, the panel issued a ruling upholding the lower court's decision, agreeing that "the monument fails two of Lemon’s three prongs. It violates the Establishment Clause." Additionally, the court noted that different religious traditions assign different wordings of the Ten Commandments, meaning that "choosing which version of the Ten Commandments to display can have religious endorsement implications."^[7] is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Look up stay in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... is the 357th day of the year (358th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the following United States district courts: Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Alabama Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Florida Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Georgia These districts were originally part... is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Atlanta redirects here. ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Holding For a law to be considered constitutional under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, the law must have a legitimate secular purpose, must not have the primary effect of either advancing or inhibiting religion, and must not result in an excessive entanglement of government and religion. ...

In response to the appeals court's decision, Judge Thompson lifted his earlier stay on August 5, 2003, requiring Moore to have the monument removed from public areas of the state judicial building by August 20.^[8] is the 217th day of the year (218th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Protests and monument removal

Rally before the Alabama State Judicial Building, August 16, 2003.

On August 14, Moore announced his intention to disobey Judge Thompson's order to have the monument removed. Two days later, large rallies in support of Moore and the Ten Commandments monument began forming in front of the judicial building, featuring speakers such as Alan Keyes, the Rev. Jerry Falwell, and Moore himself. Though organizers had hoped for up to 25,000 protesters, the crowd peaked at an estimated count of 4,000 that day^[9], and anywhere from several hundred to over a thousand protesters remained through the end of August. Image File history File links Moore_rally. ... Image File history File links Moore_rally. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Alan Keyes (born August 7, 1950) is an American political activist, author and former diplomat. ... This article is about Jerry Falwell, Sr. ...

The time limit for removal expired on August 20, with the monument still in place in the building's rotunda. As specified in Judge Thompson's order, the state of Alabama faced fines of $5,000 a day until the monument was removed. In response, the eight other members of the Alabama Supreme Court intervened on August 21, unanimously overruled Moore, and ordered the monument's removal.^[10] is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

On August 27, the monument was moved to a non-public side room in the judicial building.^[11] The monument was not immediately removed from the building for several reasons--pending legal hearings, the monument's weight, worries that the monument could break through the floor if it was taken outside intact, and a desire to avoid confrontation with protesters massed outside the building. The monument was not actually removed from the state judicial building until July 19, 2004.^[12] is the 239th day of the year (240th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Removal from office

On August 22, 2003, two days after the deadline for the Ten Commandments monument's removal had passed, the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission filed a complaint with the Alabama Court of the Judiciary (COJ), a panel of judges, lawyers and others appointed variously by judges, legal leaders, the governor and the lieutenant governor. The complaint effectively suspended Moore from the Chief Justice position pending a hearing by the COJ.^[13] is the 234th day of the year (235th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The COJ ethics hearing was held on November 12, 2003. Moore repeated his earlier sentiment that "to acknowledge God cannot be a violation of the Canons of Ethics. Without God there can be no ethics." He also acknowledged that he would repeat his defiance of the court order if given another opportunity to do so, and that if he returned to office, "I certainly wouldn't leave [the monument] in a closet, shrouded from the public." In closing arguments, the Assistant Attorney General said Moore's defiance, left unchecked, "undercuts the entire workings of the judicial system.... What message does that send to the public, to other litigants? The message it sends is: If you don't like a court order, you don't have to follow it."^[14] is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The next day, the COJ issued an unanimous opinion ruling that "Chief Justice Moore has violated the Alabama Canons of Judicial Ethics as alleged by the JIC in its complaint." The COJ had several disciplinary options, including censure or suspension without pay, but because Moore's responses had indicated he would defy any similar court orders in the future, the COJ concluded that "under these circumstances, there is no penalty short of removal from office that would resolve this issue."^[15] Moore was immediately removed from his post.

Later political life

2004 election issues

Moore was considered as a possible candidate for the Constitution Party in the 2004 presidential election. Despite encouragement from several corners, Moore did not pursue the nomination. The Constitution Party is a conservative United States political party. ... Presidential election results map. ...

Moore was also a notable opponent of a proposed amendment to the Alabama constitution in 2004. Known as Amendment 2, the proposed legislation would have removed wording from the state constitution that referred to poll taxes and required separate schools for "white and colored children", a practice already outlawed due to civil rights-era legislation. Moore and other opponents of the measure argued that the amendment's wording would have allowed federal judges to force the state to fund public school improvements with increased taxes. Voters in Alabama, a fiercely anti-tax state, narrowly defeated the proposed amendment, with a margin of 1,850 votes out of 1.38 million cast.^[16] A poll tax, head tax, or capitation is a tax of a uniform, fixed amount per individual (as opposed to a percentage of income). ... Racial segregation in the United States is the history of racial segregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines. ... Martin Luther King is perhaps most famous for his I Have a Dream speech, given in front of the Lincoln Memorial during the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom This article is about the civil rights movement following the Brown v. ...

In 2004, along with Herb Titus, Moore was an original drafter of the Constitution Restoration Act ^[17] which sought to remove federal courts' jurisdiction over a government official or entity's "acknowledgment of God as the sovereign source of law, liberty, or government", and provided for the impeachment of judges who failed to do so. The bill was introduced in both houses of Congress in 2004 and then reintroduced in 2005, languishing in committee both times. Herbert W. Titus (October 17, 1937- ) was born in Baker, Oregon. ... The Constitution Restoration Act of 2005 (originally of 2004) was filed on March 3, 2005 by Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL). ... Depiction of the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson, then President of the United States, in 1868. ...

Candidacy for Governor

See also: Alabama gubernatorial election, 2006

Moore campaigning for Governor of Alabama.

On October 3, 2005, Moore announced that he would run against Republican incumbent Bob Riley in the 2006 Republican gubernatorial primary in Alabama. On the campaign trail, Moore referred to what he believed was the stand that the American founding fathers made for the biblical basis for law, including statements that he felt extolled the supremacy of God as the basis for successful government. The 2006 Alabama gubernatorial election of 2006 is scheduled to occur on November 7, 2006. ... Image File history File links Moore_campaign2. ... Image File history File links Moore_campaign2. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... is the 276th day of the year (277th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party, although one early citation described it as the Gallant Old Party) [1], is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... Robert Renfroe Bob Riley (born October 3, 1944) is an American politician in the Republican Party. ...

As with the 2000 Supreme Court election, Moore's opponent maintained steady advantages over the Moore campaign, including almost four times as much funding and the support of the state Republican establishment. However, intra-party politics proved trickier this time around. Moore accused the chair of the state's Republican Party of bias towards Riley and called on her to resign; he also criticized President Bush for his support of Riley in the race. His criticism of the state Republican machine was so harsh that he eventually had to call a press conference to quell rumors that he would run as an independent if he lost the Republican primary.^[18] George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the forty-third and current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ...

Despite Moore's predictions that his initial low polling numbers were inaccurate, Riley won the primary by a 2-to-1 margin. In his concession speech, Moore told supporters that "God's will has been done." Moore did not call Riley to concede, later stating that he would not support Riley in the general election because of Riley's acceptance of campaign contributions from political action committees.^[18] Despite losing the Republican primary Moore was endorsed as a write-in candidate in the general election by both the Alabama Constitution Party and the Jefferson Republican Party. In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group organized to elect or defeat government officials in order to promote legislation, often supporting the groups special interests. ... The Constitution Party is a conservative United States political party. ... The Jefferson Republican Party is a minor political party in the United States. ...

Journalism

On July 26, 2006 WorldNetDaily announced that Moore would be joining the publication as a columnist.^[19] In his debut column, Moore argued that God is the "sovereign source of our law", echoing his language and reasoning used in the failed Constitution Restoration Act.^[20] is the 207th day of the year (208th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Internet service, see AT&T WorldNet. ... A columnist is a journalist who produces a specific form of writing for publication called a column. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and the Internet. ... The Constitution Restoration Act of 2005 (originally of 2004) was filed on March 3, 2005 by Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL). ...

Moreover, in a 13 December 2006 column he claimed that Keith Ellison, the first Muslim to be elected to the United States House of Representatives in the 2006 election should be barred from sitting in Congress, arguing that "common sense alone dictates that in the midst of a war with Islamic terrorists we should not place someone in a position of great power who shares their doctrine".^[21] This has led to critics stating that Moore advocates a "Christians only theocracy."^[22] is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Keith Maurice Ellison (born August 4, 1963) is an American lawyer and politician who became the first Muslim[1][2] to be elected to the United States Congress when he won the vacant seat for Minnesotas 5th congressional district in the House of Representatives, one of eight congressional districts... Type Bicameral Speaker of the House of Representatives House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Steny Hoyer, (D) since January 4, 2007 House Minority Leader John Boehner, (R) since January 4, 2007 Members 435 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      The 2006 United States midterm elections were held on Tuesday, November 7, 2006. ...

"Judge Roy Moore is Coming to Dinner"

"Judge Roy Moore is Coming to Dinner" by Tom Wofford is a 2004 play about two gay men who decide to marry in California and return home to Alabama to tell their families. Laced throughout the performance are quotes from Moore's concurring opinion in D.H. vs. H.H.: the 2002 child custody dispute mentioned above. Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Child custody and guardianship are legal terms which are sometimes used to describe the legal and practical relationship between a parent and his or her child, such as the right of the parent to make decisions for the child, and the parents duty to care for the child. ... For the baseball player, see Roy Moore (baseball). ...

Wofford describes Moore's role in the play as a sort of "Greek chorus" or a "Rod Serling-Twilight Zone" type of character who just appears. According to actor Brian Webber, who portrays Moore, "Judge Roy Moore acts as an unseen protagonist. He represents societal norms and expectations. So he comes in throughout the play--and in Judge Moore's own words, he gives us his take on the situation."[3]

A recent study by the Urban Institute rates Alabama as tenth in the nation in the number of older gay couples. But, according to Wofford, gays in Alabama have been a very silent group. "I think the gay community in Alabama--they've felt so disenfranchised that they need something like this to speak for them. I think it goes beyond frustration. I mean so many gay people that I know...gave up expecting equality a long time ago. I don't know anything else I can do but write a play about it."[4]

Judge Moore, though he had not seen the play, issued a statement condemning it as the "result of federal activism in our court system" and saying that same-sex marriage was corrupting American society.[5]

Writings

• Moore, Roy (2005). So Help Me God: The Ten Commandments, Judicial Tyranny, and the Battle For Religious Freedom. Nashville: Broadman & Holman. ISBN 0-8054-3263-9.
• Moore, Roy (2005). The Rule of Law. In Mark Sutherland (Ed.), Judicial Tyranny: The New Kings of America? St. Louis: Amerisearch. ISBN 0-9753455-6-7.

See also

• Glassroth v. Moore
• Thomas More Law Center

The case of Glassroth v. ... The Thomas More Law Center is a conservative Christian, not-for-profit law center based in Ann Arbor, Michigan and active throughout the United States. ...

Notes

Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... PDF is an abbreviation with several meanings: Portable Document Format Post-doctoral fellowship Probability density function There also is an electronic design automation company named PDF Solutions. ... PDF is an abbreviation with several meanings: Portable Document Format Post-doctoral fellowship Probability density function There also is an electronic design automation company named PDF Solutions. ... PDF is an abbreviation with several meanings: Portable Document Format Post-doctoral fellowship Probability density function There also is an electronic design automation company named PDF Solutions. ... PDF is an abbreviation with several meanings: Portable Document Format Post-doctoral fellowship Probability density function There also is an electronic design automation company named PDF Solutions. ... PDF is an abbreviation with several meanings: Portable Document Format Post-doctoral fellowship Probability density function There also is an electronic design automation company named PDF Solutions. ... is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... PDF is an abbreviation with several meanings: Portable Document Format Post-doctoral fellowship Probability density function There also is an electronic design automation company named PDF Solutions. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 207th day of the year (208th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 207th day of the year (208th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

• Green, Joshua (October 2005). "Roy and His Rock." The Atlantic.
• Kleffman, Todd (13 October 2002). "Monumental decision (first in a two-part series)." Montgomery Advertiser.
• "Ten Commandments judge removed from office" (14 November 2003). CNN.

is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 318th day of the year (319th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Foundation For Moral Law - legal organization chaired by Moore.
• Moore's WorldNetDaily Archive
• The Ten Commandments Case - archive of Montgomery Advertiser stories related to Roy Moore.
• The rise and fall of Judge Roy Moore - from MSNBC.
• "Man of the Year: Roy Moore" - article by Ann Coulter in support of Moore.

v • d • e Chief Justices of the Supreme Court of Alabama
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