Federal Court Judge Rules in Favor of Prayer at Hamilton County Commission Meeting
A federal court judge says Hamilton county can continue its policy of inviting ministers from all denominations to deliver prayers before commission meetings.
Judge Sandy Mattice also moved to a second subject in an opinion released this morning.
He called for a trial for Tommy Coleman and Aaron Moyer, who were escorted from a commission meeting by a deputy, for refusing to stop talking during the public comment part of the meeting.
That happened in 2012.
After Coleman and Brandon Jones filed suit against the prayers, the commission revised its policy to allow any minister to volunteer to give the invocation.
"We do have a small criteria of what a church is and i think what we;re using is what they file under taxes if they file church or ministry we invite them to come and speak and we invite anyone to come and speak to us," said Commissioner Joe Graham.
The plaintiffs say they do intend to appeal the ruling.
Judge Sandy Mattice also moved to a second subject in an opinion released this morning.
He called for a trial for Tommy Coleman and Aaron Moyer, who were escorted from a commission meeting by a deputy, for refusing to stop talking during the public comment part of the meeting.
That happened in 2012.
After Coleman and Brandon Jones filed suit against the prayers, the commission revised its policy to allow any minister to volunteer to give the invocation.
"We do have a small criteria of what a church is and i think what we;re using is what they file under taxes if they file church or ministry we invite them to come and speak and we invite anyone to come and speak to us," said Commissioner Joe Graham.
The plaintiffs say they do intend to appeal the ruling.
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