Legal Opinion
Maffei v. Roman Catholic Archbishop
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Decided May 25, 2007PublishedCited by 48 opinions
1Opinion of the CourtMarshall, C.J.
In this case concerning the transfer of real estate and other property from parishioners to their diocese, the plaintiff parishioners ask us, among other claims, to rule that the spiritual authority of a clergy member over members of his faith, without more, gives rise to a cognizable fiduciary relationship, or alternatively a legal relationship of “trust and confidence.” We decline to do so.
The case arises from the suppression3 of St. James the Great Parish in Wellesley (St. James) in 2004 by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Boston (RCAB), a corporation sole. See St. 1897, c. 506. St. James…
2Cases cited50 opinions
- Kourouvacilis v. General Motors Corp.Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1991
- Serbian Eastern Orthodox Diocese for United States and Canada v. MilivojevichSupreme Court of the United States · 1976
- Presbyterian Church in US v. Mary Elizabeth Blue Hull Memorial Presbyterian ChurchSupreme Court of the United States · 1969
- Jones v. WolfSupreme Court of the United States · 1979
- Demoulas v. Demoulas Super Markets, Inc.Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1997
45 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by48 opinions
- Masterson v. Diocese of Northwest TexasTexas Supreme Court · 2013
- Cavallaro v. UMASS MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE, INC.Court of Appeals for the First Circuit · 2012
- Schmidt v. Catholic Diocese of BiloxiMississippi Supreme Court · 2009
- Scott v. NG US 1, Inc.Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2008
- Bamberg v. Goldman, Sachs & Co.Court of Appeals for the First Circuit · 2014
43 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.