The Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a complaint to the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct yesterday about Smith County Judge Randall Rogers, who required a man to marry his girlfriend, as well as repeatedly copy a bible verse.
Judge Rogers forced Josten Bundy and Elizabeth Jaynes to marry as a condition of Bundy's probation. Bundy faced misdemeanor assault charges after a fight with Jaynes' ex-boyfriend. Jaynes was not involved in the incident and did not face any charges. The couple has since married per the judge's orders.
Rogers also required Bundy to write Proverbs 26:27, "If a man digs a pit, he will fall into it," 25 times per day.
Staff Attorney Sam Grover submitted FFRF's complaint to the judicial ethics commission on Aug. 13.
"Judges cannot require people to get married or force them to write bible verses," Grover said. "Judge Rogers' conduct was illegal and he should face serious consequences for it. His actions demonstrate a religious bias with significant implications for any nonreligious or non-Christian litigants appearing before him."
FFRF is a national state/church watchdog with more than 22,700 members, including nearly 1,000 in Texas.