Mathew D. Staver, J.D., is an American lawyer, academic, professor, and former Seventh Day Adventist pastor. He has been a founding member and Chairman of Liberty Counsel

Liberty Counsel

Liberty Counsel is a non-profit public interest law firm and ministry that provides free legal assistance in defense of "Christian religious liberty, the sanctity of human life, and the traditional family." Liberty Counsel is headed by attorney Mathew D. Staver, who founded the legal ministry with...

 since 1989, and dean of Liberty University School of Law

Liberty University School of Law

The Liberty University School of Law is the law school of Liberty University, a private Evangelical Christian university in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty University School of Law is fully accredited by the American Bar Association.-Founding:...

 since 2006.

Biography

Staver received his B.A. in theology from Southern Missionary College (now called Southern Adventist University), his M.A. in Religion from Andrews University

Andrews University

Andrews University is a Seventh-day Adventist university in Berrien Springs, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1874 as Battle Creek College in Battle Creek, Michigan, it was the first higher education facility started by Seventh-day Adventists, and is the flagship university of the Seventh-day...

, and his J.D. from the University of Kentucky

University of Kentucky

The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...

. He has argued before the Supreme Court of the United States

Supreme Court of the United States

The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...

 twice--losing both times--and has argued before most of the federal courts of appeals

United States court of appeals

The United States courts of appeals are the intermediate appellate courts of the United States federal court system...

.

Legal Cases

In 1994 Staver argued the Madsen v. Women's Health Center at the United States Supreme Court, representing anti-abortion activists who fought a court order banning protesters from physically abusing and interfering those entering or exiting the clinic within a 36-foot buffer zone. The Court ultimately ruled 6-3 in favor of the Women's Health Center.

External links

• About Liberty Counsel - includes biography of Mathew Staver
• Darwin Was Right! Or Was He? - "Darwin Was Right! Or Was He?" Orlando Weekly, Sept. 1, 2005.