45 Cal.4th 467 Supreme Court Of California Episcopal Church Cases
Synopsis
Background: Bishop of diocese and member of local parish church that voted against disaffiliation filed lawsuit against rector and members of board of church that disaffiliated, to recover church property. National church successfully sought leave to intervene and filed its own complaint in intervention. The Superior Court, Orange County, JCCP No. 4392, David C. Velasquez, J., granted defendants' anti-strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP) motion to strike and demurrer to complaint in intervention. Appeals were taken and consolidated. The Court of Appeal reversed. The Supreme Court granted review, superseding the opinion of the Court of Appeal.orest Service (USFS) [4] a general church can create a trust interest for itself in local church property by issuing a rule declaring that such a trust exists, if its governing instruments so provide, disapproving California–Nevada Annual Conf. of the United Methodist Church v. St. Luke's United Methodist Church, 121 Cal.App.4th 754, 17 Cal.Rptr.3d 442;...