The AP reports this very odd piece of news. I’m thinking the judge may have overstepped his bounds a bit.

A judge in Tennessee changed a 7-month-old boy’s name to Martin from Messiah, saying the religious name was earned by one person and “that one person is Jesus Christ.”

Child Support Magistrate Lu Ann Ballew ordered the name change last week, according to WBIR-TV (http://on.wbir.com/1cDOeTY). The boy’s parents were in court because they could not agree on the child’s last name, but when the judge heard the boy’s first name, she ordered it changed, too.

“It could put him at odds with a lot of people and at this point he has had no choice in what his name is,” Ballew said.

Why Martin? Messiah to Martin?

I’m not saying it’s a good name for the kid but I’m thinking it’s not the judge’s place to change it.

Update: Now with video. Oh my.

*subhead*Overstep.*subhead*