Wednesday, November 02, 2005

The union of one man and three women

The Utah Supreme Court soon will hear the appeal of Judge Walter Steed, from the order of the Judicial Conduct Commission recommending his removal from office. Judge Steed presides over the municipal court in the polygamist town of Hildale, Utah, and has three wives. The Judicial Conduct Commission determined that Judge Steed was in violation of Utah's bigamy law, despite having taken an oath to uphold the law generally. Steed's defense evidently is that his polygamy is a purely private matter that has no effect on his ability to serve as a judge. It'll be interesting to see how this case goes, and whether whatever the Utah Supremes do will be relied on to support one side or the other in that other marriage debate that's goin' on out there.

I'm just curious--do any of our gentle readers who might be descended from polygamists have any thoughts on Judge Steed's predicament?

2 comments:

Ann said...

Not descended from polygs.

I wonder if he'd have any sympathy for his position if, as a rastafarian, he claimed his sacramental use of marijuana in violation of the law didn't affect his ability to act as a judge.

Randy said...

Rasta man, be judgin' right and wrong;
Rasta man, be smokin' his bong . . .

That reminds me. The Supreme Court recently heard arguments in a case involving the sacramental use of ayahuasca, which is used in Brazilian shamanistic practice. The court seemed inclined to allow the use of the hallucinogenic tea, but that's just based on their questioning. I've been told that the stuff tastes so nasty that nobody outside of shamanistic circles would drink it.