United States Fourth Circuit

A Virginia statue which provides for daily, voluntary recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in Virginia's public schools does not violate the Establishment Clause where the Pledge is not a religious exercise and does not threaten an establishment of religion.

Appellate Information

• Argued 03/18/2005
• Decided 08/10/2005
• Published 08/10/2005

Judges

• Before WILLIAMS, MOTZ, and DUNCAN, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  David H. Remes, Covington & Burling, Washington, D.C., for Appellant.  Charles Lyman Becker, Reed Smith, L.L.P., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;  Maureen Riley Matsen, Deputy Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, for Appellees.  Robert Mark Loeb, United States Department of Justice, Civil Division, Appellate Staff, Washington, D.C., for Intervenor, the United States.   ON BRIEF:  Andrew A. Ruffino, Christine I. Magdo, Covington & Burling, New York, New York, for Appellant.  E. William Chapman, Reed Smith, L.L.P., Leesburg, Virginia;  Jason H. Ballum, Reed Smith, L.L.P., Richmond, Virginia, for Appellee Loudoun County School Board.  Judith Williams Jagdmann, Attorney General of Virginia, William E. Thro, State Solicitor General, A. Cameron O'Brion, Associate Solicitor General, Richmond, Virginia, for Appellee Commonwealth of Virginia.  Peter D. Keisler, Assistant Attorney General, Paul J. McNulty, United States Attorney, Lowell V. Sturgill, Jr., Civil Division, Appellate Staff, United States Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., for Intervenor, the United States.   Troy King, Attorney General of Alabama, John J. Park, Jr., Assistant Attorney General, Charles B. Campbell, Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General State of Alabama, Montgomery, Alabama, for the State of Alabama;  Scott J. Nordstrand, Acting Attorney General of Alaska, Juneau, Alaska;  Mike Beebe, Attorney General of Arkansas, Little Rock, Arkansas;  John W. Suthers, Attorney General of Colorado, Denver, Colorado;  M. Jane Brady, Attorney General of Delaware, Wilmington, Delaware;  Charles J. Crist, Jr., Attorney General of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida;  Thurbert E. Baker, Attorney General of Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia;  Mark J. Bennett, Attorney General of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii;  Lawrence G. Wasden, Attorney General of Idaho, Boise, Idaho;  Lisa Madigan, Attorney General of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois;  Steve Carter, Attorney General of Indiana, Indianapolis, Indiana;  Phill Kline, Attorney General of Kansas, Topeka, Kansas, Gregory D. Stumbo, Attorney General of Kentucky, Frankfort, Kentucky;  J. Joseph Curran, Jr., Attorney General of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland;  Jim Hood, Attorney General of Mississippi, Jackson, Mississippi;  Mike McGrath, Attorney General of Montana, Helena, Montana;  Brian Sandoval, Attorney General of Nevada, Carson City, Nevada;  Roy Cooper, Attorney General of North Carolina, Raleigh, North Carolina;  Wayne Stenehjem, Attorney General of North Dakota, Bismarck, North Dakota;  Jim Petro, Attorney General of Ohio, Columbus, Ohio;  W.A. Drew Edmondson, Attorney General of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma;  Hardy Myers, Attorney General of Oregon, Salem, Oregon;  Thomas W. Corbett, Jr., Attorney General of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania;  Henry McMaster, Attorney General of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina;  Lawrence E. Long, Attorney General of South Dakota, Pierre, South Dakota;  Paul G. Summers, Attorney General of Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee;  Greg Abbott, Attorney General of Texas, Austin, Texas;  Mark L. Shurtleff, Attorney General of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah;  Rob McKenna, Attorney General of Washington, Olympia, Washington;  Patrick J. Crank, Attorney General of Wyoming, Cheyenne, Wyoming, Amici Curiae Supporting Appellees.