Legal Opinion
Rector, Wardens & Vestrymen of Trinity-St. Michael's Parish, Inc. v. Episcopal Church in the Diocese
Supreme Court of Connecticut
Decided March 2, 1993No. 14434PublishedCited by 24 opinions
1Opinion of the CourtKatz, J.
This appeal involves a dispute over the ownership of church property arising out of the withdrawal of a local parish from its prior affiliation with a hierarchical church organization. The issue is whether, in the absence of an express trust, the governing church documents, read “in purely secular terms,”1 impose a trust in favor of the general church on property held by a local parish.
This case originated as two separate actions. The Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Connecticut (Diocese) et al.2 and Trinity-St. Michael's Parish, Inc., et al.,3 each brought a declaratory judgment action…
2Cases cited20 opinions
- Cantwell v. ConnecticutSupreme Court of the United States · 1940
- Watson v. JonesSupreme Court of the United States · 1872
- 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
15 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by24 opinions
- Episcopal Church CasesCalifornia Supreme Court · 2009
- Trustees of the Diocese v. Trinity Episcopal ChurchAppellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York · 1999
- In Re Church of St. James the LessSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 2005
- From the Heart Church Ministries, Inc. v. African Methodist Episcopal Zion ChurchCourt of Appeals of Maryland · 2002
- Episcopal Church in Diocese of Connecticut v. GaussSupreme Court of Connecticut · 2011
19 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.