The Judge Who Stole Christmas
This holiday novella's premise is a Christmas-time court battle over a live crèche scene set up in the town square of Possum, Va. Thomas Hammond loves playing Joseph in this crèche, and he is determined to keep turning out for his role regardless of what the ACLU or a decidedly Grinch-like judge has to say about it. His resolve earns him the respect of some of his fellow church-goers, but it also lands him in jail. He is defended by Jasmine Woodfaulk, a third-year law student who sticks with the case even though its notoriety costs her a plum job at a top law firm in New York. By the end of this story, of course, folks who disagree about the constitutionality of crèches manage to unite in the celebration of Christmas. Sometimes it is unclear when the author is aiming for satire and when he is playing it straight. For example, when Jasmine goes to argue her appeal before a three-judge appellate court, the one judge obviously on her side is an African-American Bush appointee conveniently named Judge Clarence. Then there's Theresa, Thomas's wife, who doesn't seem to know what a cell phone is. Nonetheless, this fresh approach to Christmas inspiration will stand out.Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.