MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Roy Moore, the former Alabama Chief Justice who was removed for the defiance of a court order to remove a Ten Commandments monument, filed a notice of appeal on Dec. 10 for his reinstatement.
Moore was removed from office Nov. 13 by the state Court of the Judiciary for violating the state’s code of judicial ethics by not obeying a federal judge’s order to remove the 2 ton monument he placed in the courtroom rotunda.
"I think it would have been a violation of my oath of office to obey an unlawful order," Moore said after filing the appeal. "To do what I'm sworn to do cost me my job. It's that simple."
Moore has until Jan. 8 to file briefs supporting his appeal.
Moore told Baptist Press in an early December interview during a visit to Nashville, Tenn., that the media "misses the issue entirely" as to what the controversy has been about.
"It's about whether or not we can or must acknowledge God as the sovereign source of our law and justice system," he said. "And I think that the media, not having understanding of these things, not having an understanding of history, not having an understanding of law, not having an understanding of the Scriptures, fail to see the intimate connection.
"But they're not the only ones, because there are millions and millions of people who don't understand the connection between God and law, and between the history of this country and God, and why it's relevant."
According to a court official, on Dec. 15, the eight justices of the Alabama Supreme Court recused themselves from hearing Moore’s appeal. The justices scheduled a meeting on Monday to draw the names of seven retired judges to hear Moore’s appeal.
