The establishment clause prohibits the government from passing laws or taking actions that promote religion or show a preference for one religion over another. In assessing a government action, the courts look at the predominant purpose for the action and ask whether the action has the effect of endorsing religion. Although DeWeese claimed to have a nonreligious purpose for displaying the poster of the Ten Commandments in a courtroom, his own statement showed a religious purpose. These statements reflected his view about ”warring” legal philosophies and his belief that ”our legal system is based on moral absolutes from diving law handed down by God through the Ten Commandments.” This plainly constitutes a religious purpose that violates the establishment clause because it has the effect of endorsing Judaism or Christianity over other religions. In the case on which this problem is based, the court rules in favor of the American Civil Liberties Union More test answers on https://studyhippo.com/business-law-test-1-scenarios-and-case-problems/