Azige v. Holy Trinity Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church

STROUD, Judge.

*236 Defendants appeal from the trial court's order denying their motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. On appeal, defendants argue that the trial court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over plaintiffs' claims because exercising jurisdiction would require the court to *237 address ecclesiastical matters in contravention of the First Amendment of the United States Constitutions and Article 1, Section 13 of the North Carolina Constitution. After review, we reverse the trial court's order because judicial involvement would impermissibly entangle the judicial system in…