Rockwall County defends Ten Commandments monument after removal demand
Rockwall County is standing by its new Ten Commandments monument after a removal demand, setting up a fight that could bring legal costs and a court battle.
Rockwall County’s new Ten Commandments monument is no longer just a courthouse display. After a demand to remove it, county officials answered on June 11 with a public show of defiance that could soon pull taxpayer resources, county property and commissioners court attention into a deeper legal fight.
The monument was dedicated May 23 on the Historic Courthouse lawn at the 1941 Rockwall County Courthouse on East Rusk Street. It was privately funded, commissioners unanimously approved the installation earlier in May, and county officials said it was meant to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary. County leaders also said the monument was intended to reflect the community’s values, and the display was described as virtually identical to the Ten Commandments monument on the Texas State Capitol grounds.
The challenge came from the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which sent its letter on May 27 to County Judge Frank New and the Rockwall County Commissioners Court. The group, which says it represents more than 41,000 members nationwide, including 1,800 in Texas, argued that the monument is unconstitutional and divisive. It said the display uses a King James Bible rendering, stood on its own without secular context or meaningful interpretive signage, and was unveiled during a public ceremony with Christian prayers and speeches from religious and political figures. The group also said the event included a representative from First Liberty Institute and that New encouraged attendees to “embrace God’s love.”
Rockwall County’s June 11 response came through its own news channel and framed the dispute in the sharpest possible terms: “Come and Take It.” That message followed the county’s assertion that the monument was recently erected and that the letter demanding removal had arrived after the dedication. The language signaled that county leaders do not view the issue as a routine facilities matter but as a direct challenge to a public display they intend to defend.
First Liberty Institute, which said it was representing the Rockwall County Commissioners Court, replied that the monument is constitutional and cited Supreme Court precedent, including The American Legion v. American Humanist Association. First Liberty said the display was made possible by private donations from community members. The broader backdrop is statewide: Texas is also locked in a separate battle over Ten Commandments displays in public school classrooms, and the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld that law in a 9-8 decision.
For Rockwall County, the immediate questions are whether the dispute reaches a courtroom, whether commissioners discuss legal spending, and whether the monument becomes a recurring agenda item. However the next step unfolds, the county has made clear that the courthouse lawn is now part of a much larger church-state fight with local, state and national stakes.
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