wfn.org | ABCUSA: TRENT RESIGNS TO SEEK JUDGESHIP

[RICH.SCHRAMM@ecunet.org]

AMERICAN BAPTIST NEWS SERVICE 
Office of Communication  
American Baptist Churches USA 
P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851 
Phone: (610)768-2077 / Fax: (610)768-2320 
Web: www.abc-usa.org
Richard W. Schramm, Director 
 E-mail: richard.schramm@abc-usa.org

TRENT RESIGNS FROM NATIONAL MINISTRIES TO 
SEEK ELECTION 
AS JUDGE OF COMMON PLEAS COURT
by Fran Homer, American Baptist National Ministries
  Earl W. Trent, Esq., who has served as National 
Ministries' house counsel since 1974, has announced his 
plans to resign Sept. 30 to seek election as Judge of the 
Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia County. In May 
Trent was victorious in both the Democratic and 
Republican primary elections.  As a result he will be 
endorsed by both parties in the general election Nov. 7.
 As National Ministries' house counsel Trent has 
been responsible for the review of all legal matters related 
to the corporate activities of The American Baptist Home 
Mission Societies and their related corporations, and has 
provided legal advice to Executive Director Dr. Aidsand F. 
Wright-Riggins III and the officers of the Board of National 
Ministries.  In 1975 Trent was commissioned an American 
Baptist home missionary.  
 Over the past 27 years Trent has successfully 
represented American Baptist congregations in court cases 
involving tax exemption and First Amendment challenges.  
In 1979 he secured the IRS ruling that granted American 
Baptist Churches a group tax exemption.  In his role as 
legal advocate for the policy and resolution positions of 
the Board of National Ministries he has successfully 
intervened during clemency proceedings on behalf of 
inmates facing execution. 
 Trent was responsible for the single most 
important and most often cited national class action 
brought against the U.S. government, which sanctioned 
the involvement of churches in improving the treatment of 
immigrants who have come to the United States seeking 
asylum from persecution because of their political beliefs, 
American Baptist Churches vs Thornburgh.
 In 1992 Governor William Casey appointed Trent 
to the Pennsylvania Commission on African-American 
Affairs where he chaired the Sub-Committee on Criminal 
Justice.  In 2000 Trent successfully attacked the 
constitutionality of Pennsylvania's ex-felon 
disenfranchisement statutes in a much-celebrated case, 
adding 60,000 formerly incarcerated people to the voter 
eligibility rolls. The case has become a model for similar 
litigation throughout the United States.
 Trent also has served as legal counsel for the 
Philadelphia branch of the NAACP for 25 years.  In 1995 in 
recognition of "the relentless and skillful advocacy with 
which he has championed civil rights cases," the NAACP 
National Board presented Trent with the William Ming 
Advocacy Award, the highest national honor the 
organization bestows on a lawyer or judge for advancing 
civil rights.  And in 1999 the NAACP Philadelphia Branch 
honored him with the Cecil B. Moore Award for 
"outstanding contributions to the law and exceptional 
service to the Philadelphia community."
  Trent holds a bachelor's degree in Economics 
from the University of Pittsburgh and a juris doctor degree 
from Howard University School of Law, Washington, D.C.   
He began his law practice in 1973 in the offices of the late 
civil rights leader Cecil B. Moore before going on to 
specialize in Federal constitutional litigation.
  Trent is a long-time member of Bright Hope 
Baptist Church in Philadelphia.
  "We are extremely proud of the 
accomplishments of Earl Trent and his contributions 
to National Ministries and American Baptist Churches 
USA," said Executive Director Dr. Aidsand F. Wright-
Riggins III. "Lovers of religious freedom in this 
country are indebted to Earl for his legal work on 
separation of church and state issues.  He is widely 
respected as a legal advocate on some of the most 
pressing criminal justice issues of our day.  The 
Board and staff of National Ministries will miss him 
tremendously.  But we know that he will make 
outstanding contributions on the judicial bench."

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