Posts from June 2012

Posts from June 2012

Texas Supreme Court Resets Oral Argument in Northwest Texas Case

On June 22, 2012 the Texas Supreme Court reset the oral argument in the Masterson case, which is the appeal by a breakaway faction seeking to overturn the judgment in favor of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwest Texas and the loyal Episcopalians at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in San Angelo. The argument will be heard on Tuesday, October 16, 2012 at the 9:00 a.m. docket in the Supreme Court Building in Austin. This case had been set for oral argument…

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…