Subject: Oath of Office
  In an April 29th email, we said:     "Have you ever thought about what it takes to become a judge?  Most would say, "yeah... ya have to be appointed or elected".  Though this is true, it is not enough.  Once the election or appointment is over, the next step is the swearing in ceremony.  Suppose the guy says "no... I won't uphold the constitution(s)"?  Then he ain't a judge!     "Not only must he take an Oath to uphold the Constitution(s), but he must utter the specific words required by those Constitutions.  But that still ain't enough... because mere words are like birds.  They fly away in the breeze.  He must also sign an oath bearing those specific words.  But just because he signs it, that still ain't enough.     

"The law requires that he be able to prove he took the oath... just in case anyone questions it later.  He must be able to provide legal evidence he actually is a judge.  Makes sense, doesn't it?   So... what must he do to prove it?  He must file that Oath bearing his signature with the official Keeper of the Record... the County Clerk.  But even that is not enough to prove he is a judge.  Heck, you or I could file the same thing with the County Clerk.  That wouldn't make us a judge.  The one who administered the Oath must also file an affidavit, signed under pain an penalty of perjury, with the same Keeper of the Record.  And the law requires it be done within a specific time period.  If it ain't all done, and done on time, he ain't a judge.      "But even this is not enough.  When he takes that Oath of Office and utters the required words, he must place his hand upon a book.  And that book ain't Humpty Dumpty.  That book is the 2000 year old Evidence of the Law.  And there is a reason for it.  That Evidence of the Law was given to us by the original Giver of the Law.   That Oath of Office means he will uphold the Law upon which he has his hand... as well as the Law of the Land."  

But NYJAIL4Judges would like to expand upon those thoughts.  In coffee shop conversations with neighbors about the Oath of Office, there are those who said, "so what, if it ain't on file and you find out... then they will just file it and do it right".  Wait a minute.  If you are going down the road in your car and the cop pulls you over for going through a stop sign, do you tell him to let you go so you can back up and do it again so you may do it right this time?  There just ain't going back.

What happens when that cop asks you who you are and you answer "John Smith"?  If he just accepted that and wrote you a ticket, we would all be John Smith for a moment.  You tell that cop you are John Smith and you better be prepared to prove it right there on the spot, or you will looking at criminal impersonation charges.  What's good for the goose is good for the gander.  Don't you think someone who tells you they are a judge ought to be prepared to prove it right there on the spot... before you go any further?   What happens if they can't prove they are a judge... and are just an impostor because they haven't met all the requirements of law to become a judge?  A still better question is: What happens if they weren't a judge when they fined you, or ordered you child to be seized, or sentenced you to jail?   NYJAIL4Judges looks upon the Oath of Office as a most serious thing... and living up to that Oath, too.  I hear stories every week about someone whose rights were violated by a presumed-to-be judge.  If ya ain't havin' fun ya ain't doin' it rite.  Anyone out there E-mail-land besides June Maxam wants to join in some fun and inflict a little havoc 'n chaos as a thank you for all the wonderful things judges have been doing to us for so long?   Stay tuned for more.    Ron Loeber, NYJAILer-In-Chief