Written by Don Byrd
Via Religion Clause, formal charges have now been filed by the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct against the Tennessee magistrate who made news earlier this year after she rejected “Messiah” as a child’s first name (in a parental dispute over the child’s last name). She indicated that “Messiah” is a religious title earned only by Jesus Christ and changed the baby’s name to Martin.
The formal charges (pdf) refer to provisions of Tennessee’s Code of Judicial Conduct, including:
A judge shall not, in the performance of judicial duties, by words or conduct manifest bias or prejudice, or engage in harassment, including but not limited to bias, prejudice, or harassment based upon race, sex, gender, religion, national origin, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status, socioeconomic status, or political affiliation, and shall not permit court staff, court officials, or others subject to the judge’s direction and control to do so.
The name change was subsequently reversed by a chancellor.
