Letter: Religion not a factor in court choice

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The Tribune editorial board opinion ("The people's court," August 10), which calls for a non-Mormon to be appointed to the Utah Supreme Court, could be more honestly expressed by demanding that any candidate for the Court vacancy, who is a Mormon, be excluded from consideration for his or her religious beliefs.

The second clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution reads, with respect to religious freedom "...or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; ..." The intent of this clause is that government may not show preference for one religion over another, political appointments included

Further, the editorial implies that Mormons now serving as justices are partial to personal beliefs, not the law, when ruling on matters before them, and it further fails to cite a single instance where partiality has influenced any decision rendered by that court.

The Tribune is correct in its belief that the finest legal minds in the state will be sought who have proper knowledge and temperament to direct the legal matters of our state. Mormon, or not.

Richard Ewing Davis

Stansbury Park