Judge who ordered name change for boy Messiah fired

The Tennessee judge who ordered a couple to change their baby boy’s name from Messiah to Martin was fired on Tuesday, according to court officials.

Although no legal documents are claiming that the religious-based ruling was cause for termination, the judge had been in hot water before for ruling with a religious bias.

The presiding judge of the state’s fourth judicial district, Judge Duane Slone, terminated Child Support Magistrate Lu Ann Ballew of Cocke County, a few months after the name-change ruling was overturned.

Martin appealed the decision, which she called “ridiculous.” It took Chancellor Telford E. Forgety 30 minutes to overturn Ballew’s ruling—and to find that she had acted unconstitutionally.

In October, a three-member investigative panel found there was “reasonable cause to believe (Ballew) has committed judicial offenses,” citing her for religious bias.

As of last Friday, Judge Ballew is no longer on the bench. O. Duane Slone, presiding judge of Tennessee’s fourth judicial district, terminated her appointment.

A hearing by the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct is scheduled for March 3, despite the fact the Ballew lost her appointment.

Martin and McCullough are not alone in wanting to dub their child Messiah. According to the Social Security Administration, there were 762 applications for the boy’s name in 2012.

Agencies/Canadajournal