Legal News (Page 9)
This section provides a historical record of legal actions regarding the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth.
In addition to news articles below, the Texas judicial system maintains a list of each action on the case related to our diocese on their page, along with links to documents.
Click here to view the court’s records related to this case.
Statement on Judge John Chupp’s order granting rule 12 motion
What the legal language of the order means What the legal language of the order (click here to read it and note that the hand-written portions of the order are in the judge’s own hand) means is this: essentially the court refused to strike the pleadings i.e. it ruled that the reorganized Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth and the Corporation had the right to continue to sue the defendants and establish our right to seek declarative judgment. The defendants lost on their…
Statement on hearing before judge John Chupp regarding legal representation of the diocese
The Hon. John Chupp, judge of the 141st District Court of Tarrant County, Texas today ruled that attorney Jon Nelson and Chancellor Kathleen Wells are not authorized to represent the diocese or the corporation that are associated with Jack L. Iker. These attorneys have never claimed to do so. The judge denied the motion by Bishop Iker’s attorneys to remove the diocese and the corporation from the lawsuit filed April 14, 2009. While the judge did make some off hand…
Attorneys present arguments in hearing, new date set before judge John Chupp
Attorneys for the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth and the Corporation of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth presented arguments today in the 141st District Court of Tarrant County, Texas in opposition to two motions filed by former diocesan leaders challenging the authority of the attorneys and leaders of reorganized Diocese. The hearing was continued until 2 p.m. on Wednesday, September 16, at which time both sides will present short briefs on questions from the judge, the Hon. John P.…
Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth files motion for a partial summary judgment to recover property and assets
Attorneys for the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, the Corporation of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, and the Episcopal Church have on Sept. 3, 2009 filed a motion for a partial summary judgment in the 141st District Court of Tarrant County, Texas as a step to recover property and assets of the Episcopal Church. The defendants are former members of the Diocesan Corporation’s board of trustees and the former bishop of the diocese, all of whom have left the…
Meeting for members of St George’s Episcopal Church in Macomb, IL who wish to remain Episcopalian
MACOMB, IL (Sept. 3, 2009) — Members of St. George’s Church in Macomb who wish to remain Episcopalian will hold a service at 3:30 pm on Sunday, Sept. 13, at Trinity Lutheran Church at 123 S. Campbell in Macomb. Fr. John Throop, former interim priest of St. George’s, will lead the service. A light supper will follow in the church basement. All are welcome. After St. George’s parishoners voted 25-15 on March 29 to leave the Episcopal Church (TEC) and…
Bishop Kenneth Price nominated to become provisional bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh
Sept. 3, 2009, Pittsburgh – A bishop from a neighboring diocese has been nominated to lead the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh for the next several years until a permanent bishop can be elected. Fr. John Throop, former interim priest of St. George’s, will lead the service. A light supper will follow in the church basement. All are welcome. Today the Standing Committee, the diocese’s current leaders, announced that it has chosen the Rt. Rev. Kenneth L. Price, Jr. and is…
ENS: breakaway bishop seeks challenge to authority of Episcopal bishop
FORT WORTH: Breakaway bishop seeks challenge to authority of Episcopal bishop, others; September 9 hearing set in dispute By Pat McCaughan, September 02, 2009 [Episcopal News Service] Attorneys for Jack Iker have asked a Texas court for permission to challenge the authority of Provisional Bishop Ted Gulick Jr. and the standing committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth. Iker, who left The Episcopal Church in 2008 but refused to relinquish church property or assets, is responding to a pending lawsuit filed by The…
The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth responds to motions filed by former leaders
Attorneys for the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, the Corporation of the Diocese of Fort Worth, and the Episcopal Church are preparing a response to motions filed by attorneys for former bishop Jack L. Iker and former members of the corporation’s board. A hearing has been set for September 9 in the 141st District Court in Tarrant County. Bishop Iker and these former leaders left the Episcopal Church in 2008 and have since aligned themselves with another church, the Anglican…
Presiding Bishop’s statement on the legal issues in litigation in the Diocese of San Joaquin
July 25, 2009 [Episcopal News Service] Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori issued a statement concerning the Superior Court ruling in Fresno County, California. The full text of the Presiding Bishop’s statement follows. The Presiding Bishop’s Office announced that on July 21, 2009, the Superior Court of Fresno County, California, issued an order resolving most of the legal issues in litigation involving the identity and property of the Diocese of San Joaquin. The court ruled in favor of the church and the…
Superior Court of California grants summary adjudication to San Joaquin
The Rt. Rev. Edwin F. [Ted] Gulick, Jr., the Standing Committee, and the Board of Trustees of the Corporation of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth welcome the July 21, 2009 decision of the Superior Court of California, County of Fresno, Central Division that grants a summary adjudication to the continuing Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin in its litigation regarding which leaders have authority over the diocese and its property. This California decision joins other courts in Texas and other states…
Diocese files response to motion to dismiss suit to recover property and assets of the Episcopal Church
Attorneys for the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, the Corporation of the Diocese of Fort Worth, and the Episcopal Church have filed a response to the motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction filed on May 8, 2009 by attorneys for former bishop Jack L. Iker and former members of the corporation’s board. The motion to dismiss was a response to the suit filed in the 141st District Court of Tarrant County, Texas, on April 14, 2009, by the Episcopal…
Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh- Judge allows chancellor’s role, Episcopal Church intervention in property dispute
[Episcopal News Service] April 17, 2009 [Diocese of Pittsburgh] A judge has ruled in favor of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh on several points in its legal dispute with former leaders over control of diocesan assets, according to a release posted on the diocesan website. In a hearing April 17, Judge Joseph James of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County allowed diocesan chancellor Andy Roman’s appearance as the attorney for the Diocese of Pittsburgh of the Episcopal Church. The…
Statement from the Office of the Presiding Bishop concerning actions in Fort Worth on April 14, 2009
The Episcopal Church, with the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth and the Corporation of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, filed in court today for a declaratory judgment as the rightful owners of all diocesan property, real and personal, including funds and endowments. We feel sorrow that the former diocesan leaders took such actions that led us to this time. However, this is a necessary step in order for the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, comprised of Episcopalians of the…
Diocese of Fort Worth,Episcopal Church file suit to recover property and assets
On Tuesday, April 14, 2009, the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, the Corporation of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth and the Episcopal Church filed suit in the 141st District Court of Tarrant County, Texas in part to recover property and assets of the Episcopal Church. The defendants are former members of the corporation’s board and the former bishop of the diocese, all of whom have left the Episcopal Church. The petition seeks declaratory and injunctive relief, damages, an accounting, and attorney…
Pastoral statement concerning litigation from Bishop Ted Gulick
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, heir and steward of the legacy of generations of faithful Episcopalians, has this day brought suit to recover that legacy. We deeply regret that the decisions and actions of former diocesan leaders have brought us to this difficult moment. Even before 1850 when this area was part of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, faithful Episcopalians were preaching the saving gospel of Jesus Christ as part of the Episcopal Church…
Statement Regarding March 24 El Paso County Colorado District Court Ruling on Breakaway Congregation
The Bishop and Diocese of Colorado, and the more than 500 members of Grace and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church rejoice today that the members of the Episcopal parish will be returning to their church home as a result of a decision issued by District Court Judge Larry Schwartz. In that ruling, Judge Schwartz found that the historic property is held in trust for the mission and ministry of the Episcopal Church and ordered the breakaway congregation that wrongfully took possession…