United States of America
Respondent
Theodore B. Olson, Solicitor GeneralThe United States was named as a defendant in Michael Newdow’s original lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance. It was initially named as a respondent before the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, but the circuit court dropped it from the case. When Elk Grove appealed the Ninth Circuit’s decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, the United States rejoined the case. Theodore B. Olson was nominated Solicitor General by President George W. Bush on February 14, 2001, and was confirmed by the Senate on May 24, 2001. Prior to that, he was a…
