A federal appeals court in Cincinnati has upheld a ruling that says an Ohio judge violated theU.S. Constitution by displaying a poster containing the Ten Commandments in his courtroom.
A three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday affirmed a federaldistrict court's decision that Richland County Common Pleas Judge James DeWeese violated theconstitutional separation between church and state by hanging the poster.
The poster includes the Ten Commandments in what DeWeese says is a listing of conflictinglegal philosophies, 10TV's Tanisha Mallett reported.
Titled "Philosophies of Law and Conflict," it places the commandments next to moral codesfollowed today.
Then at the bottom there is a message from Deweese which ends with him stating he, "Joins thefounders in personally acknowledging the importance of God's fixed moral standards for restoringthe moral fabric of this nation."
Americans United for Separation of Church and State said the ruling sends a message thatjudges should not give certain religious traditions a preferred place in the courtroom.
The display has been covered by not removed; the American Civil Liberties Union said it willseek the complete removal of the display.
DeWeese's attorney said they disagree with the ruling and are considering their options.
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