Former Tennessee Magistrate Censured for Changing Name of Baby over Religious Concerns

Lu Ann Ballew, a former Tennessee magistrate was publicly censured this week for having changed the name of a baby from Messiah to Martin. At the time, Ballew had asserted that Messiah was a title reserved only for Jesus Christ. However, Ballew's attorneys claimed that the name change had been done keeping the best interests of the child in mind as having the name of Messiah could have, according to the magistrate's perception, made the life of the child difficult.

A public censure is the strictest sanction that the Board of Judicial Conduct could have taken against Ballew at the point as she has already lost her position of a magistrate. She was replaced from her job as child support magistrate last month, but the disciplinary hearing continued.

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In the instant case, Jalessa Martin and Jawaan McCullough appeared in a child support hearing before Ballew in August this year about Messiah Martin, their 7-month-old son. In the hearing the father requested the baby's last name be changed to McCullough from that of Martin. However, the couple was surprised when Ballew ordered the name of the baby to be changed to Martin McCullough.

Soon after, Ballew gave an interview to a local television station claiming, "The word 'messiah' is a title that has only been earned by one person, and that one person is Jesus Christ." Her decision immediately made news headlines across the world prompting the Freedom from Religion Foundation to file a complaint with the Board of Judicial Conduct.

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In their complaint the FFRF argued that Ballew broke several rules of judicial conduct including the obligation to perform duties without bias or prejudice, and prohibitions of making public statements about pending cases.

Ballew's decision was overturned later in a chancery court and the baby's name was changed to Messiah McCullough with consent from both parents.