rm ([personal profile] rm) wrote2005-05-26 02:32 pm

judge tells parents they may not raise their child Wiccan

I was first alerted to this via [livejournal.com profile] timepiece

I can't get to the Indy Star for some reason (bad internet) but [livejournal.com profile] mobocita has a nice explanation:

http://www.livejournal.com/users/mobobocita/60601.html

[identity profile] 00goddess.livejournal.com 2005-05-26 06:42 pm (UTC)(link)
This happened to a local couple here, also. The judge ruled that they could continue practicing their religion but it had to be kept separate from the kid. Major violation of civil rights, imo- whose fucking business is it what religionI raise my kid?
lawnrrd: (Default)

[personal profile] lawnrrd 2005-05-26 07:47 pm (UTC)(link)

There's an old joke among lawyers:

Q: What do you call a lawyer with an IQ of 70?
A: "Your Honor."

State trial court judges are all over the map in terms of how good they are. Some are competent, smart, and dedicated, while others are merely small-time political hacks who get put on a ballot as a reward for their hackitude. Indiana, I will note, elects its trial court judges. Unfortunately, a trial court judge is ideally placed to screw up people's lives, and appeals are expensive.

Incidentally, I found a picture of the judge in this case.

The Hon. Cale Bradford

(The two women standing behind him are the other two judges on the Marion County Superior Court's executive committee.) I'm sure I'm being all sorts of bigoted when I say this, but his appearance does not convey the sort of learned gravitas that would give me confidence in a judge.

Appellate judges tend to be much better, on average, and I'm sure that they'll administer some sort of juridical smackdown. These parents are fortunate, though, to be able to get the ACLU on their side and to have the resources to go through with this.

(Sorry about the reposts. I kept screwing up the formatting, and I didn't want to ruin your comments page.)

[identity profile] lllvis.livejournal.com 2005-05-26 11:27 pm (UTC)(link)
...sigh...


This is the kinda thing I should hope would have the judge tossed out on his ear. But no...I'm sure nothing will happen to show him the error of his ways....

[identity profile] guitargltz.livejournal.com 2005-05-27 02:51 am (UTC)(link)
I'm seriously ashamed that I live here!