I just noticed that the Seventh Circuit — following the ancient Romans, and, if I recall correctly, the revolutionary French — has the following date format in its bar admissions certificates (emphasis added):
November third in the year of our Lord two thousand six and the Independence of the United States of America the two hundredth and thirtieth year.
Cool. The Ninth Circuit, doubtless stemming from the radicalism so often ascribed to it by critics, simply says “12th day of December, 2006” — both less God and less country, if you want to complain (which I don’t).
UPDATE: A reader reports that the “year of independence” is standard on commissions for U.S. government officials.