ACLJ Asks Federal Court to Dismiss ACLU Lawsuit Against Ohio Judge Over Display of Ten Commandments.

Business Editors & Legal Writers

CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 8, 2001

The American Center for Law and Justice, an international public interest law firm, has asked a federal court in Cleveland to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the ACLU against Ohio Judge James DeWeese for posting the Ten Commandments in his Richland County, Ohio courtroom.

"This is the latest attack by the ACLU in its war over the Ten Commandments and our nation's heritage," said Francis J. Manion, Senior Regional Counsel of the ACLJ, which is representing Judge DeWeese. "Acknowledgment of the role of the Ten Commandments in the formation of our legal system is not only constitutional but especially appropriate in a courtroom. That's why the Supreme Court of the United States has not one but two depictions of the Ten Commandments in its courtroom in Washington, D.C."

The ACLJ agreed to represent Judge DeWeese on March 30th after the ACLU brought suit against him in U.S. District Court in Cleveland on March 8th for displaying the Ten Commandments in his courtroom.

In a formal response to the ACLU suit filed in U.S. District Court in Cleveland, the ACLJ denies claims that the display of the Ten Commandments in Judge DeWeese's courtroom violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and asks the court to dismiss the suit.

In addition to displaying the Ten Commandments in the courtroom, Judge DeWeese also displays copies of the Bill of Rights, as well as framed posters containing famous quotes about the judicial system from Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison.

Further, Judge DeWeese's courtroom also contains the Seal of the State of Ohio, which contains the state's motto, "With God All Things Are Possible" - a phrase that survived a court challenge in March and was declared constitutional by the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Manion said: "The ACLU wants to bully public officials into thinking there is something illegal about mentioning God or using texts with religious origins in public places. We intend to demonstrate that they are wrong. We are honored to represent this outstanding jurist who not only recognizes but is proud to publicly acknowledge the source of our legal system." The ACLJ represents Judge DeWeese - as it does all of its clients - free of charge.

The ACLJ is involved in a national effort to defend the public display of the Ten Commandments in communities across the country. In a case now pending before the U.S. Supreme Court, the ACLJ is defending the city of Elkhart, Indiana against a lawsuit by the ACLU challenging a monument of the Ten Commandments that has been on display outside city hall since the 1950's. The ACLJ has asked the Supreme Court to take the Elkhart case and overturn a decision by the Seventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals which ruled the display unconstitutional.

At the same time, the ACLJ is involved in ten cases involving challenges to the display of the Ten Commandments. And, the ACLJ has launched a national petition campaign - which already has generated more than 80,000 names - to urge Congress to approve a joint resolution affirming the public display of the Ten Commandments.

The American Center for Law and Justice is an international public interest law firm and educational organization that focuses on pro-family, pro-life, and pro-liberty cases. The ACLJ is headquartered in Virginia Beach, VA and its web site address is www.aclj.org.