Do you not have to have completed law school to become a judge?
This one is amazing. A judge in Tennessee ordered a kid's name changed from "Messiah" because she said that name was reserved for Jesus Christ. She was overturned immediately by a higher court for quite obvious reasons. Honestly, whatever her (or your) personal opinions on religion are, how could a judge know so little about the law as to make such an obvious mistake?
Is this maybe a symptom of having elected rather than appointed judges? Not sure if she is elected or appointed, by the way. But this has always interested me. It just seems wrong that judges should have to face voters, as correct legal decisions are often unpopular ones.
http://news.msn.com/us/tennessee-bab...e-rules?stay=1
Re: Do you not have to have completed law school to become a judge?
Federal judges are appointees. State/Local ones are usually elected.
Re: Do you not have to have completed law school to become a judge?
So, can you actually become a judge without being a qualified lawyer? Can any joe blow run for the position?
Re: Do you not have to have completed law school to become a judge?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Gelatinous Cube
In some I believe that is the case.
Scary.
Re: Do you not have to have completed law school to become a judge?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Gelatinous Cube
Every state is different. In some I believe that is the case.
That is... so cool...
I've just imagined myself as a judge.
Re: Do you not have to have completed law school to become a judge?
Harry S Truman first elected office was judge. That was the jobs title. The county elected 3 judges and between the three they chose a Presiding Judge. Harry was chosen. No formal education beyond high school.
Re: Do you not have to have completed law school to become a judge?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
The Lurker Below
Harry S Truman first elected office was judge. That was the jobs title. The county elected 3 judges and between the three they chose a Presiding Judge. Harry was chosen. No formal education beyond high school.
My memory of Truman may be a bit shaky, but wasn't he elected into the bureaucracy of a court? Ie. he was overseeing stuff, but not actually passing judgements and all that?
Re: Do you not have to have completed law school to become a judge?
Bah, he looked like a butler anyway.
Re: Do you not have to have completed law school to become a judge?
In California you can be an illegal immigrant and be a cop, and if Jerry Brown has his way also a lawyer. It takes all types.
Just curious, what is your opinion on the guy who lost custody of his kids because he named them Hitler? Does the same rule apply here or no?
Re: Do you not have to have completed law school to become a judge?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Major Robert Dump
In California you can be an illegal immigrant and be a cop, and if Jerry Brown has his way also a lawyer. It takes all types.
Just curious, what is your opinion on the guy who lost custody of his kids because he named them Hitler? Does the same rule apply here or no?
Different rule than the one used in the OP, as that was a rule designed to protect the rights of the child, while the judge above tried to protect the rights of jesus.
If naming your kid Messiah is deemed to give undue burden to a child, I would have no problem with outlawing it.
EDIT: Investigating this a bit further gives this statement from the judge:
"It could put him at odds with a lot of people and at this point he has had no choice in what his name is," Ballew said.
....Which seems to imply that she was thinking of the rights of the child, not jesus. This may be yet another case of media sensationalism...
