'U.S. Supreme Court' Tagged Posts
Episcopal Parties File Petition for Review by U.S. Supreme Court
On June 19, 2014, The Episcopal Church and loyal Episcopal parties and congregations of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth filed a petition for writ of certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court. The Fort Worth parties were joined in the filing by the Episcopal Diocese of Northwest Texas and the officials from the continuing Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in San Angelo. In related news, the remand of the case to the 141st District Court in Tarrant County continues; Judge John P. Chupp entered a scheduling order that includes pleading and discovery deadlines and sets the hearing on motions for summary judgment for December 17, 2014.
U.S. Supreme Court Refuses Breakaway Petitions in Georgia and Connecticut Cases
On June 18, 2012 the United States Supreme Court denied petitions for writs of certiorari in two important church property cases from Georgia and Connecticut. The Court’s orders left in place decisions favoring the Presbyterian and Episcopal churches, both hierarchical churches, which had faced challenges from breakaway factions. These orders make final the judgments below and now open the way to the Churches’ recovery of local church property for their respective missions and ministries. The Court’s actions mean that it will not…
US Supreme Court issues decision in Lutheran case
On January 11, 2012 the U.S. Supreme Court decided HOSANNA–TABOR EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH AND SCHOOL v. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION, et al. A copy of the Court’s opinion is here. The Court declared that the ministerial exception bars an employment discrimination suit brought by a minister who challenged her church’s decision to fire her. The Court’s unanimous opinion also reaffirmed the long-standing constitutional principles, cited by the Episcopal Parties, that a hierarchical church’s rights to choose its local clergy and to…
U.S. Supreme Court denies petition to hear La Crescenta property case
[ Episcopal News, Los Angeles] The U.S. Supreme Court today announced that it has denied a petition to hear an appeal from a breakaway congregation seeking claim to the property of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church of La Crescenta, California. The court posted its action, together with dozens of other petitions denied, on its web site. Meeting in conference on Feb. 26, the high court declined to hear the petition filed by St. Luke’s Anglican Church of La Crescenta, whose members voted…