African Methodist Episcopal Church, Inc. v. Smith

STUART, Justice.

Kurtrina Smith and Rickey Levins separately initiated actions against the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Inc. (“the AME Church”); James L. Davis, bishop and presiding officer of the AME Church’s Ninth Episcopal District (Davis and the AME Church are hereinafter referred to collectively as “the Ninth District”);1 and *819Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (“Lincoln National”) (hereinafter collectively referred to as “the defendants”), after Lincoln National denied their respective claims for benefits under certificates of insurance issued pursuant to a group…