Thomas Van Orden
Petitioner
Erwin Chemerinsky, Counsel of RecordThomas Van Orden is a former criminal defense attorney who, during a battle with serious depression, lost his job and his family and began living in a tent in Austin, Texas. While walking to and from the law library near the Texas State Capitol, he noticed a six-foot-tall granite display of the Ten Commandments. Although his law license had been suspended, he could still represent himself in court — so in January 2002, he decided to file suit against the Governor of Texas and other State officials, arguing that display of the Ten Commandments on public…
