Check Your Faith at the Door: Kentucky Judge Resigns Over Gay Adoption

A Kentucky judge who declared a conscientious objection to allowing homosexuals to adopt is resigning.

Judge W. Mitchell Nance said allowing a gay person to adopt could never be in the child's best interest.

He submitted a letter of resignation to Gov. Matt Bevin Thursday after a complaint was filed against him with the state's judicial conduct commission.

It alleged Judge Nance violated ethics rules and committed misconduct in the office.

In April, the judge issued an order requiring lawyers to notify him if they had an adoption case involving a gay parent or a same-sex couple so he could recuse himself from the case.   

Nance said his religious beliefs prevented him from handling such adoption cases.

Last month, the state's Judicial Conduct Commission investigated complaints of judicial misconduct and wrongdoing.

They notified Nance that they were charging him with multiple violations of judicial ethics rules, including showing bias and prejudice based on sexual orientation.

A gay rights activist said any judge who has a conscientious objection must resign from the bench.

Nance will resign on Dec. 16 and requested the charges be dismissed at that time.