Georgia appeals court rules for Episcopal Church in Savannah case

The Savannah Morning News reports:

The state’s Court of Appeals issued a ruling Thursday in favor of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia and the national church in its two-and-a-half year property dispute with a breakaway congregation.

A three-judge panel upheld Chatham County Superior Court Judge Michael Karpf's 2009 decision naming the Episcopal Church the rightful owners of Christ Church in Savannah.

Church members and leaders have continued occupying the historic Johnson Square house of worship since voting to leave the denomination in September, 2007.

They now have until July 18 to notify the courts whether they will continue with the appeal.

The opinion is here.

Posted by Jim Naughton on July 8, 2010 7:42 PM | |
Comments (6)

I've a dollar and a doughnut that says they will.

Posted by polysloguy [TypeKey Profile Page] | July 8, 2010 8:55 PM

At some point after this string of decisions, I question a lawyer's professional ethics who takes one of these cases against a Diocese. Sometimes a lawyer is required to tell a potential client that they have no case.

Posted by Paul Davison [TypeKey Profile Page] | July 8, 2010 10:18 PM

Maybe not a lawyer who is idealogically aligned with the church, though. It is amazing how little common sense almost any of us have if we believe in a cause enough. Or it could just be the money which is there to be made.
Doug Spurlin

Posted by Doug [TypeKey Profile Page] | July 9, 2010 12:07 AM

Maybe not a lawyer who is idealogically aligned with the church, though. It is amazing how little common sense almost any of us have if we believe in a cause enough. Or it could just be the money which is there to be made.
Doug Spurlin

Posted by Doug [TypeKey Profile Page] | July 9, 2010 12:07 AM

Good point....but the lawyer who has led Christ Church into this tangled web has 2 legal malpractice cases pending against him as well as a lawsuit in which his malpractice carrier has refused to defend him. Perhaps he should (did) have disclosed this to the congregation prior to taking them into this expensive journey. I wonder how much in fees have been spent?

Posted by catherine [TypeKey Profile Page] | July 9, 2010 1:46 PM

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