Hawkins County (Tenn.) Sessions Court Judge James “Jay” Taylor appears to attract investigations the way motor homes attract tornados. He has been sued in various civil lawsuits and has now been hit with five criminal charges, including stealing money that he raised for a “Citizens Heritage Display” including the Ten Commandments to be placed in the lobby of the Hawkins County Justice Center. He is continuing his push for reelection as well as his performances as part of “The Redeemed Southern Gospel Singing Quartet.”
The charges include stealing from a client and taking money for legal services not rendered. Before his appointment in May, Taylor served as juvenile court judge. He insists on the Ten Commandments allegation that “All money raised in support of the Foundations Display (Citizens Heritage Display) was given in a cashier’s check to a member of the American Legion, along with a list of people who had made contributions.”
Taylor is up for reelection in March. He may quietly want to lose since some if not all of these charges may be dropped if he were not on the bench. His bio states the following:
Judge Taylor graduated from East Tennessee State University, in 1994, with a degree in Political Science. He graduated from Mercer University School of Law, in 1997, and was admitted to practice law that same year. Taylor was appointed in 2011 as the Judge of the General Sessions Court of Hawkins County, after having been elected as the Judge of the Juvenile Court in 2006. He has been a speaker and instructor on a variety of legal topics, including being selected by the State of Tennessee to train the clerks of courts on juvenile law and procedure.
Judge Taylor and his wife, Julia North Taylor, of The Redeemed Southern Gospel Singing Quartet, have two sons, Cross and Luke. The Taylor family lives in Hawkins County, Tennessee. Taylor is a member of Spires Chapel Baptist Church where he is the Youth Leader and a Sunday School teacher. Having come from a family of pastors, and having his father-in-law serve as pastor of his church, Taylor’s life and interests revolve around his church and family. His grandparents had a powerful and spiritual influence on his life, and Taylor’s life has been largely guided by Papa Best’s advice: God has given each of us a special talent and gift; prayerfully find yours, and then serve God with it.
Source: TimesNews as first seen on ABA Journal.
I agree with JCTheBigTree. If you have lower expectations of people, they will meet them without fail.
Sorry for the rants, but as a life-long struggling person of faith, I’m less concerned about religious yahoos (even though I sometimes think they could drive Jesus Christ to swear) than I am about these sentiments found on Panel 3 of the Jefferson Memorial: “I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever.”
If there is a God of the Bible, perhaps we should change the national motto to “May God Have Mercy on America.”
“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”
Luke 12:48
“When Eternal Foregiveness awaits you Beyond, anything goes here.”
Lrobby99,
Sums up with those nine words the dialectical problem facing Christianity for 2000 years. If mere belief washes away ones sins, then “good works” become meaningless. Jesus taught a way of being in the Gospels, no matter how redacted, that had the ethical treatment of others as its basis.
That was wisdom that could be used by all in the effort to make a better world. However, when the overlay of “Faith alone leads to redemption” was
exchanged for “good works”, than receiving ones’ “eternal reward” actually became a matter of good timing. One could live a truly monstrous life and if there was time on their deathbed, feel remorse, accept Jesus and go peacefully into Heaven. It is of course, just a little bit more complicated than that, but it certainly gives license to those who we might call somewhat less than enchanted by metaphysics, in order to rationalize their own bad behavior.
I like it when the hypocrites (Google that word!) erect a Ten Commandments billboard on the courthouse lawn. Then inside they vote to kill a guy. Sixth Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Kill!. It does not have an exception written in stone anywhere on those original tablets for The People of the State of Tennessee to kill. A person cannot mess with the Lord on such things. They might hang Luke on Cross. Or vice versa. He will probably name his next kid Jerico.
Just a dog talkin here making fun of humanoid word useage.
In my opinion, those charged with carrying out the law (judges, police, prosecutors, etc.) should be held to a higher standard by the law and face stiffer punishments for breaking the law.
Blouise,
“Judge Taylor graduated from East Tennessee State University, in 1994, with a degree in Political Science. He graduated from Mercer University School of Law, in 1997″ … Santorum was right … look what education did to this poor Christian fellow!
*****
Now…don’t go blaming his education for his failings. You know, you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
Maybe it’s not their fault: “How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?” John 5:44
So, we are a Christian nation, led by the Prince of Peace, the Lamb of God, come to pay the penalty of our sin, to redeem us from eternal hellfire, and who commands us — wait for it — to love one another, yea even our enemies, to treat others as we wish to be treated. And what is the evidence of our fulfilling these commands?
More than 50% percent of a federal budget related to military spending; and greater than the military expenditure of the next 15 nations combined. That in itself should merit a trip to at least purgatory.
Forget the anti-science, superstitious nature of the Bible. The behavior of American Christians should be proof enough that there is no God — at least the one in their Bible.
Interesting take on that Jill…lol
Inkster judge Sylvia James sues to stop misconduct hearing
Embattled Inkster District Judge Sylvia James filed a federal lawsuit Friday to try to halt Monday’s scheduled misconduct hearing to determine whether she mismanaged or embezzled court funds.
http://www.freep.com/article/20120121/NEWS02/201210387/Inkster-judge-Sylvia-James-sues-to-stop-misconduct-hearing
BTW, she is a Public Figure…..She gave up her right to a private citizen status when she was either appointed or ran for office and elected…
The hearing is going on presently in Dearborn Heights….
Stealing is his “special talent”. He needs to honor god by using god’s gift of this particular “special talent”. If you think otherwise, you are an atheist.
He is just following the Christian Business persons mantra….Don’t let the Left hand know what the Right hand is doing…
This originates from the Bible, Matthew 6:3 (King James Version):
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth.
You see it is clearly applicable to him…..He is just following the Bible raff….
Religious fundamentalist aren’t interested in following their Lord, but in being their own lords — the original sin:
“[T]he serpent said . . . ‘[Y]ou will be like God[.]'” Gen 3:4-5
And they ain’t got a clue.
War on Drugs?
War on terrorism?
War on poverty?
War on Christmas?
War on Christiaity?
War on War?
C’mon, there is no greater non sequitur in American society today [than political science]that I can think of at the moment …
Free speech?
Peaceful assembly?
Military justice?
Clean coal?
Happy meal?
“Political Science” ….
C’mon, there is no greater non sequitur in American society today that I can think of at the moment …
This judge doesn’t need to worry about the Constitution, he has the Bible!
A hallmark of the religious right is to push their dogma on others, but not to necessarily follow it. When Eternal Foregivness awaits you Beyond, anything goes here.
Slept through Con Law? Check.
Slept through Criminal Law? Check.
Slept through Torts Law? Check.
Slept through Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility? Check.
I think it’s a good guess that either sleeping in class or hypocrisy are Taylor’s special gift. Possibly both.
“Judge Taylor graduated from East Tennessee State University, in 1994, with a degree in Political Science. He graduated from Mercer University School of Law, in 1997” … Santorum was right … look what education did to this poor Christian fellow!