Sikh Charges Discrimination After JP Forces Him To Remove Turban In Court

On Friday, the ACLU of Texas announced that it had filed suit in state court under the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act on behalf of Amardeep Singh, a member of the Sikh faith. In June 2006 Singh appeared in the courtroom of Justice of the Peace Albert Cercone to defend a speeding ticket. The bailiff told Singh he would need to remove his turban. Singh says he tried to explain the religious significance of the turban, but was ignored. According to yesterday's Dallas News, Cercone says that Singh made no mention of his religious concerns. Cercone argues that the request was necessary for security reasons since Justice of the Peace courts do not have metal detectors. The complaint in the case is available online. Singh has also filed with the State Commission on Judicial Conduct.