<P> The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) sued to challenge the designation of a National Day of Prayer . On October 3, 2008, the Wisconsin - based organization filed suit in a federal court in Madison, naming as defendants President George W. Bush; White House press secretary Dana Perino; Wisconsin governor Jim Doyle; and evangelist James Dobson's wife, Shirley Dobson, in her capacity as chair of the National Day of Prayer Task Force . The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) provided defense for Shirley Dobson while government lawyers asked U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb to dismiss the case, arguing principally that the group has no legal standing to sue . </P> <P> On March 1, 2010 U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb stated that FFRF's lawsuit could proceed because the plaintiffs had shown that they suffered "concrete injury" that can potentially be remedied by judicial action . Judge Crabb stated about those supporting the federal law designating the National Day of Prayer, "adopting (the) defendants' view of standing would allow the government to have unrestrained authority to demean members of any religious group without legal consequence . The federal government could declare the' National Day of Anti-Semitism' or even declare Christianity the official religion of the United States, but no one would have standing to sue because no one would have to' pass by' those declarations ." On April 15, 2010, Judge Crabb ruled that the statute establishing the National Day of Prayer was unconstitutional as it is "an inherently religious exercise that serves no secular function ." However, Crabb stayed her ruling pending the completion of appeals . </P> <P> The U.S. Department of Justice filed a notice to appeal the ruling on April 22, 2010, and on April 14, 2011 a three judge panel of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously overturned Crabb's decision . The panel ruled that FFRF did not have standing to sue because the National Day of Prayer had not caused them harm and stated that "a feeling of alienation cannot suffice as injury ." The court further stated that "the President is free to make appeals to the public based on many kinds of grounds, including political and religious, and that such requests do not obligate citizens to comply and do not encroach on citizens' rights ." The federal appeals court also cited Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address, which referenced God seven times and prayer three times . </P>

Who prayed at the national day of prayer