A Kentucky judge who refused to process adoptions that involved members of the LGBTQ community because of his religious beliefs has resigned after facing ethics charges.
In April, Judge W. Mitchell Nance required lawyers to inform him if an adoption case involved an LGBTQ couple so that he could recuse himself, noting that he did not believe a “performing homosexual” would be a good fit for a child because “the divinely created order of nature is that each human being has a male parent and a female parent.”
The Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission argued that Nance’s behavior constituted misconduct and violated ethics rules, which include standards that prohibit judges from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation.
In light of his resignation, which takes effect this month, Nance’s attorneys asked the commission to stop pursuing the case, but civil rights advocates are hoping the committee continues the action against Nance, reported the Lexington Herald-Leader.
