Roy Moore’s Lawyer Responds to Chief Justice’s Suspension

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Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore is currently suspended from his position as Chief Justice after ethics charges were filed against him on Friday.  The Judicial Inquiry Commission filed six ethics charges against Moore accusing him of abusing his authority and failing to respect the judiciary.  This comes after Moore issues an administrative order in January telling state probate judges to not issue same sex marriage licenses.  He gave the order despite a ruling the previous summer from the U-S Supreme that effectively legalized gay marriage across the country.

Moore’s lawyer, Matt Staver spoke to Alabama News Network about the charges.  He says the Chief Justice has 30 days to appeal the charges which he plans to do.  He also says that the Judicial Inquiry Commission has overstepped it’s roll in bringing the charges against Moore.

“The Alabama Supreme Court has repeatedly reminded the JIC that it is not a court it has no authority to resolve legal disputes. And yet in fact, that’s what it attempts to do,” Staver said via a telephone interview.

Staver went on to say that despite the Supreme Court ruling,  Chief Justice Moore did nothing wrong in issuing his order to probate judges.

“Chief Justice Roy Moore did not advocate disobedience to the US Supreme Court. His administrative order simply said that the Alabama orders from 2015 are still in effect and later in 2016 the Alabama Supreme Court will rule and until such time the Alabama Supreme Court will rule and until such time those orders till remain effective.”

If Moore’s appeal is denied his ethics trial should begin early this summer.  Until then, Associate Supreme Court Justice Lyn Stuart will serve as acting Chief Justice.