Retired Judge Denald Beslin signs his Court’s Bible

Crowley, La. – American Judicial Alliance, a national organization based in Louisiana, is dedicating Bibles to every court in the United States of America—and today will dedicate Bibles to the City Courts of Crowley, Eunice, Opelousas and Rayne.  The organization intends to emphasize the biblical origins of the nation and reassert the importance of the America’s “Organic Laws,” especially the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.

The Bibles are being dedicated in replication of a tradition held by the United States Supreme Court for over one hundred years.  One of America’s most interesting justices, John Marshall Harlan (1833-1911) began the tradition by donating his personal Bible to the Court.  Since that time, every Supreme Court Justice has signed the Harlan Bible.

American Judicial Alliance (AJA) and its related organization, Retired Judges of America (RJA) are led by Retired Judge Darrell White and Jason Stern.  Both men share a vision for “awakening the conscience of One Nation Under God” and for featuring the unmistakable link between the Bible and America’s Constitution and laws.

Crowley Rotarian and City Judge M’elise Beslin Trahan, accepting for the Crowley City Court

As the organization moves out across the South, judges are receiving the Bibles with enthusiasm: “We are so grateful to receive this Bible into our Court.  America’s Framers knew what they were doing when they established this nation.  It’s our duty to continue that vision,” says Judge M’Elise Trahan on behalf of the City Court of Crowley, Louisiana.

America’s Supreme Court Justices have acknowledged the importance of the Harlan Bible Tradition.  Justice Samuel Alito recently wrote what a “thrilling and awe-inspiring moment” it was when he signed his name alongside “all the Justices for the past 100 years.”  Former Justice David Souter has said that signing the Harlan Bible was the “most humbling thing he ever did.”  And Justice Sonia Sotomayor acknowledged that taking her Judicial Oath on the Harlan Bible was among the “most symbolically meaningful” activities of her investiture.

“American Judicial Alliance intends to place a Bible in every courtroom in America and to ask active and retired judges all across America to join the

Retired City Judge Kenneth Boagni Jr., accepting for the Opelousas City Court

“Harlan tradition” of signing the Bible and utilizing them in their courts,” says the group’s founder, Retired Judge Darrell White. “Every judge who is awakened to the Bible’s vital role in our founding is another judge awakened to our future,” White concluded.

American Judicial Alliance is based in Baton Rouge, La. and has dedicated over 150 Bibles to courts across the South including the Supreme Courts of Louisiana and Texas, as well as several federal courts.

City Judge Lynette Young Feucht, accepting for the Eunice City Court

A related article by the Acadia Parish Network of Newspapers can be found here.