A judge has granted the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s motion for summary judgment in the defamation case filed by former employee Roger Dermody. On Sept. 21, Jefferson Circuit Court Judge Judith E. McDonald-Burkman ruled that “after a careful review of the record, applicable law and the Court being otherwise sufficiently advised, IT is hereby ordered and…
The Associated Press A minister is taking his own denomination to task, claiming in a lawsuit that the Presbyterian Church was partly responsible for sexual abuse he suffered as a teenager. The Rev. Kris Schondelmeyer, a youth minister in Toledo, Ohio, is seeking unspecified damages in a lawsuit he filed against the Louisville, Ky.-based Presbyterian…
By David Virtue There are a number of lessons one can learn in the current legal brawl taking place in a St George’s county courthouse between the Diocese of South Carolina and the national Episcopal Church and its local rump diocese. 1) Don’t tick off the judge by doing end runs around the court. 2)…
By Khalid Abdel Aziz and Yasmine Saleh (Reuters) – A lawsuit brought by a Sudanese Muslim father against a Christian woman to formally establish her as his Muslim daughter was dropped on Wednesday, the lawyer handling the case said, a move that could allow her to depart for the United States. The case of Mariam…
Just months after a vote to leave the Presbyterian Church (USA) failed, the session of First Presbyterian Church (FPC) in Houston, Texas has filed a civil lawsuit seeking clear title of its property. The session initiated a court action on May 29, seeking to clear the title of the church property from claims by the…
It appears Highland Park Presbyterian Church (HPPC) and Grace Presbytery may be headed to court after all. The two sides were unable to reach a settlement in the lawsuit over the church’s property during a second round of mediation talks last week, paving the way for the parties to take the issue to court. Last…
By Michael Gryboski A lawsuit aimed at guaranteeing ownership of church property by the largest Presbyterian Church (USA) congregation will be tried at the state level rather than federal, ruled a U.S. District Court. Judge Jane Boyle of Dallas ruled Monday that the Highland Park Presbyterian Church congregation’s lawsuit will be held in Texas state…