Ulster County, NY – Judge Sworn In With Hand On Dictionary

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    Donald A. Williams, right, is sworn in as Ulster County judge on Saturday at the county courthouse in Kingston by state Supreme Court Justice Michael Kavanagh. Williams said he placed his hand on a dictionary, rather than a Bible, because there was no Bible available and because the swearing-in merely was ceremonial. Standing between the judges are, from left, Williams children, Jordyn and Colin, and his wife, Ann. [Photo by William J. Kemble]Ulster County, NY – A judge in New York state took the oath of office with his hand placed on a dictionary rather than a book of scripture because officials could find no Bible.

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    The glitch, in a packed courtroom of the historic Ulster County Courthouse in Kingston, N.Y., provided “a light moment” in the swearing-in of Donald A. Williams as Ulster County judge, the Daily Freeman of Kingston reported.

    Williams said later he didn’t mind using a dictionary instead of a Bible because the swearing-in Saturday was purely ceremonial.

    The former district attorney, a Republican, officially became the county judge Friday.

    U.S. government officials are not required to swear in on a Bible, but most do so as a demonstration of the binding nature of the promise. The act also adds solemnity to the ceremony. Most officials use their own family Bible.

    Williams, a Republican who lives in Kingston, was elected county judge in November over incumbent Democrat Deborah Schneer, 25,781-17,968. Schneer, who had been a town of Rochester justice, was appointed to the county bench midyear by New York Gov. David Paterson, a fellow Democrat, after Judge J. Michael Bruhn retired. The appointment, though, was only through Dec. 31, setting up the election against Williams.

    Williams was elected to a 10-year term. The current salary is $131,400 per year.

    Williams said one benefit of his new job is he now can have closer social associations with people who were judges when he was a prosecutor.


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    15 Comments
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    A. Nuran
    A. Nuran
    14 years ago

    So far, fear of Divine Retribution for swearing false oaths hasn’t stopped many from breaking them. Maybe the wrath of thousands of outraged librarians will have a more immediate effect.

    WolfishMusings
    WolfishMusings
    14 years ago

    So help me Webster. 🙂

    The Wolf

    ChelmiTe
    ChelmiTe
    14 years ago

    This is beyond CHELM
    The atheist might complain that the dictionary has the word G-d in it

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Define “swear”…

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    America needs to return to G-d. This is a sign of very, very negative things to come. Remember what Rav Ovadia Yosef said after Hurricane Katrina.

    Use Your Head
    Use Your Head
    14 years ago

    I am at a loss for words.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    If you look closer it was not a dicitionary.The hand was on the new twitter book.

    PMO
    PMO
    14 years ago

    I don’t get it… even several Presidents (including Teddy Roosevelt and LBJ) have sworn in on something other than a bible. What is the story here?

    When Justice Roberts messed up the oath while swearing in Obama (which was done using Lincoln’s bible), they re-did the oath for the sake of getting the words right at a later time without one.

    Reb Yid
    Reb Yid
    14 years ago

    Nothing against the guy, it’s just that this could easily be spun by a political rival into something else. (I.e. “Williams sworn in with dictionary b/c no bible available” becomes “williams uses dictionary unlike every other judge who uses bible–what does that tell you?”)

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    i think that the dictionary should be used instead of a bible. it’s the only major work of writing where people of all faiths agree on the same meaning of the text.