Roy Moore
| Roy Moore | |
| Current Court Information: | |
| Alabama Supreme Court | |
| Title: | Chief Justice |
| Service: | |
| Active: | 2001-2003; 2013-2018 |
| Chief: | 2001-2003; 2013-2018 |
| Past position: | Judge, Alabama Circuit 16 |
| Past term: | 1992-2000 |
| Personal History | |
| Born: | February 11, 1947 |
| Home State: | Alabama |
| Party: | Republican |
| Military service: | U.S. Army |
| Candidate 2012: | |
| Candidate for: | Supreme Court |
| State: | Alabama |
| Election information 2012: | |
| Incumbent: | No |
| Primary date: | March 13, 2012 |
| Primary vote: | 49.9% |
| Election date: | November 6, 2012 |
| Election vote: | 51.76% |
Contents |
Roy Stewart Moore is the chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. He was re-elected in 2012 to the position he held from 2001 to 2003. He replaced Chief Justice Charles Malone. His current term expires in 2018.[1]
In 2003 he gained national attention for refusing, as the elected Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, to remove a monument of the Ten Commandments from the state courthouse--despite contrary orders from a federal judge. On November 13, 2003 Alabama's Court of the Judiciary unanimously removed Moore 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.
Education and Military Service
Moore received his undergraduate degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1969. Following graduation, he served in the U.S. Army. He earned his J.D. from the University of Alabama in 1977.[2]
Career
- 2001-2003; 2013-present: Chief Justice, Alabama Supreme Court
- 1992-2000: Judge, Circuit 16 Court (Etowah County)
- 1984-1992: Attorney, Private practice
- 1977-1982: Prosecuting attorney[2]
Elections
2012 election
Moore was elected Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court on November 6, winning 51.76% of the vote over Robert S. Vance. He previously won the Republican primary on March 13, receiving 49.97% of the vote.[3] [4][5]
- See also: Alabama judicial elections, 2012
Endorsements
Campaign finance
To access Moore's campaign finance reports, visit: Alabama Secretary of State, Government Records, Roy Stewart Moore.
Campaign ad
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2010
Moore again sought the Republican nomination for governor of Alabama, and was defeated after receiving only 19.3% of the vote in the primary election. [8]
2006
Moore unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for the governorship of Alabama, and was defeated by a 2-1 margin by incumbent Bob Riley in the June primary. [9]
Chief Justice: Alabama Supreme Court
Ten Commandments Monument Controversy
Soon after Moore took the oath of office as Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, he had built and installed a granite rock containing the Ten Commandments on the state courthouse lawn. [10]
Federal Lawsuit
On October 30, 2001 the ACLU, along with 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." [11]
During the unveiling of the monument following its erection, Moore said:
This monument will serve to remind the appellate courts and judges of the circuit and district courts of this state, the members of the bar who appear before them, as well as the people who visit the Alabama Judicial Building, of the truth stated in the preamble of the Alabama Constitution, that in order to establish justice, we must invoke “the favor and guidance of Almighty God. [11]
Moore argued that he would not remove the monument, as doing so would violate his oath of office. [12]
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 United States Constitution and was thus unconstitutional. [13]
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.
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. [12]
Protests and Monument Removal
On August 20, the monument was still in place within 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 removal of the monument.[12]
Removal From Office
In August 2003, the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission brought six charges against Moore. They were:
- violation of Canon 1 of Judicial Ethics, failing to comply with a court order directed at him;
- failure to uphold the integrity of the judiciary;
- failure to avoid impropriety;
- failure to respect and comply with the law;
- did not conduct himself to promote public confidence; and
- failure to avoid conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice. [14]
On November 13, 2003, the Alabama Court of the Judiciary voted unanimously to remove Moore from office. [15]
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
- Alabama Supreme Court
- News: Alabama Supreme Court contenders file financial disclosure forms, January 13, 2012
- News: Republican primary for AL Supreme Court Chief post marked by reduced campaign spending, February 27, 2012 ˆß
- News: Alabama Supreme Court Candidate Roy Moore submits amicus brief in NY town prayer case, June 12, 2012
- News: Moore's latest campaign disclosure reveals heavy donations from plaintiff trial lawyers, July 12, 2012
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.
- AL.com, "The 'perfect storm' behind Roy Moore's election night shocker," March 21, 2012
- Prattville Progress, Opinion: "There's a reason for the Moore vote," May 8, 2012
- WWNTradio.com, "Judge Moore Applauds Kentucky Court of Defending the Acknowledgement of God," August 22, 2012
References
- ↑ Montgomery Advertiser, "Moore to run for chief justice," November 23, 2011
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Judge Roy Moore campaign website: About
- ↑ Alabama Secretary of State, Certified 2012 General Election Results
- ↑ Alabama Secretary of State, 2012 Primary Election Results - Unofficial
- ↑ The Washington Post, "‘10 Commandments judge’ Roy Moore wins his old job back", November 8, 2012
- ↑ The Montgomery Advertiser, "James endorses Moore in race for chief justice," February 3, 2012
- ↑ Tuscaloosa News, "Dobson backs Moore in state chief justice race," October 30, 2012
- ↑ Alabama Secretary of State, Election Results Republican Primary, June 1, 2010
- ↑ "Exclusive Interview: Judge Roy Moore, 2010 Alabama Republican gubernatorial candidate" Our Prattville September 1, 2009
- ↑ The Atlantic, "Roy and His Rock," 2005
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, Opinion: Glassroth v. Moore
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 FindLaw, Alabama Supreme Court Order No. 03-01
- ↑ FindLaw, Glassroth v. Moore
- ↑ [news.findlaw.com/cnn/docs/religion/inremoore82203cmp.pdf FindLaw, Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission - Charges against Roy Moore]
- ↑ Associated Baptist Press, "Alabama court votes unanimously to remove Roy Moore from office," November 13, 2003
