16 Facts About Michael Newdow

Michael Arthur Newdow was born on June 24,1953 and is an American attorney and emergency medicine physician.

Michael Newdow is best known for his efforts to have recitations of the current version of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools in the United States declared unconstitutional because of its inclusion of the phrase "under God".

Michael Newdow filed and lost a lawsuit to stop the invocation prayer at President Bush's second inauguration and in 2009 he filed a lawsuit to prevent references to God and religion from being part of President Obama's inauguration.

Michael Newdow serves on the Advisory Board of Secular Coalition for America.

Michael Newdow grew up in the Bronx and in Teaneck, New Jersey, where his nominally Jewish family moved in 1960.

Michael Newdow has worked as an emergency room physician at numerous hospitals, and holds medical licenses in California and several other states.

Michael Newdow attended the University of Michigan Law School, graduating with a JD in 1988.

Michael Newdow subsequently passed the bar exam in Sacramento County, California and was admitted to the State Bar of California on July 29,2002; he is still an active member there, as of August, 2018.

Michael Newdow is best known for the lawsuit which he states was filed on behalf of his daughter against inclusion of the words "under God" in public schools' recitals of the United States' Pledge of Allegiance.

However, the decision was later overruled by the Supreme Court of the United States on procedural grounds, citing that Michael Newdow did not have custody of his daughter and therefore did not have the right to bring suit on her behalf, nor did he meet the Court's prudential standing requirements to bring the suit on behalf of himself.

Michael Newdow filed suit again in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California regarding the same issue, but this time on behalf of three unnamed parents and their children.

In November 2005, Michael Newdow announced that he wanted to have "In God We Trust" removed from US coins and banknotes.

On December 4,2007, Newdow argued before a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit to remove both "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance, and "In God We Trust" from United States currency.

Michael Newdow represents California Parents for the Equalization of Educational Materials, a group that has filed a lawsuit against the officials of California Department of Education and the California State Board of Education.

Michael Newdow later reported that he would not challenge the denial of his preliminary injunction motion, but would appeal the case through the appellate court.

In November 2002, Michael Newdow was given the Freethinker of the Year award by the Freedom From Religion Foundation following the Pledge case.