This morning, Tuesday 13th February, Croydon Employment Tribunal will hear the case of Richard Page - a Christian who was removed from being a magistrate after he expressed his belief that children do best with a mother and a father.
The case is scheduled to last for five days.
Please pray for a fair, just outcome for Richard.
Richard Page was first challenged by his seniors in late 2014 when, after hearing an adoption case, he could not agree with his fellow magistrates that placing a child into the care of a same-sex couple was 'in the child's best interest'. Richard came to his decision having weighed the evidence presented to the Court and therefore, in good conscience, could not vote to make the order. He was subsequently reported for his actions, reprimanded, and forced to attend 're-education training', which he duly did.
In March 2015, Richard took part in a national television programme in which he clearly stated that at present, there was not sufficient evidence to convince him, as a magistrate, that placing a child in the care of a same-sex couple was in the child's best interests, and therefore he could not make such an order. Richard believes the political move by the government to place children with same-sex couples lacks any solid, reliable psychological or educational research concerning the effects on children.
Richard's media comments were again brought to the attention of his seniors and an investigation was carried out by the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office's disciplinary panel. They recommended to the Lord Chief Justice and the Lord Chancellor that Richard should be removed from office.
"I have to act on the evidence before me"
Commenting on his sacking, Richard Page, who has worked in the field of mental health for 15 years, said: "As a highly experienced magistrate, I have made judgments on thousands of cases and in each case, have come to my decision based on the evidence, and the evidence alone, placed before me and my colleagues. That is the oath which I took when I became a Justice of the Peace.
"When you sit in a Family Court, you have a huge responsibility to ensure the overall well-being of the children who are being recommended to be placed into new families. You weigh the reports and references before you and the evidence you hear. In the case of same-sex couples adopting children, it has only been a relatively short time that same-sex couples have been able to adopt and foster and therefore, there has not been time for a proper analysis to be carried out into the effects such placements have on the children's educational, emotional and developmental well-being.
"As a magistrate, I have to act on the evidence before me and quite simply, I believe that there is not sufficient evidence to convince me that placing a child in the care of a same-sex couple can be as holistically beneficial to a child as placing them with a mum and dad as God and nature intended.
"I am surprised that this Lord Chancellor should seemingly pander to the new political orthodoxy when what it amounts to is social experimentation on the lives of the most vulnerable children in our communities.
"To punish me and to seek to silence me for expressing a dissenting view is deeply worrying. I shall challenge this decision as it is deeply illiberal and intolerant. It is vital the family law courts always have in mind the best interests of the children.
"I cannot believe that the establishment is trying to silence someone like me who has served it wholeheartedly all of my working life."
"The new political orthodoxy"
Richard is supported by the Christian Legal Centre and represented by its Standing Counsel, human rights barrister Paul Diamond.
The Christian Legal Centre's chief executive, Andrea Minichiello Williams, commented: “The Lord Chancellor has removed Richard from the magistracy for allegedly being 'prejudiced' and for speaking out in the media about what has happened to him.
"This unmasks the face of the new political orthodoxy; it is unkind. It tries to silence opposing views and if it fails it crushes and punishes the person who holds those views.
"To remove someone like Richard from the bench is modern-day madness. He has a lifetime of public service and expertise in mental health. He is motivated by his Christian faith and a deep compassion for people."
The case is scheduled for five days - please continue to pray for Richard and for Paul Diamond as he represents him.