On Thursday, December 9, 2010, the Hon. John P. Chupp, judge of the 141st District Court, disposed of the latest procedural motion filed by attorneys for former Bishop Jack L. Iker and other former diocesan officials.
After waiting 18 months, the Defendants had filed a Motion for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts, asking that the judge “fully disclose on the record whether he, his family members, or his court staff:
- are members of any of the churches, congregations, schools or other Episcopal entities involved in this suit;
- have attended any of the churches, congregations, schools, or other Episcopal entities involved in this suit;
- or have indicated a preference for any party or outcome in the suit.”
Attorneys for the local Episcopal parties responded that there is no legal basis for the motion and that it “is yet another attempt to delay resolving this case on the merits.”
Judge Chupp said that he saw no legal basis for the request but said that neither he nor, to his knowledge, any of his family members attended an Episcopal Church. He stated further that he had a family member who attended an Episcopal school in another diocese and that he had attended an Episcopal preschool at the age of four. The Defendants acknowledged that they saw no conflict of interest on the part of the judge.
Related documents:
Defendants Motion for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts
Defendants Reply on Disclosure of Conflicts
Response to Motion for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts