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St. James Anglican Church in Newport Beach, California, is filing a petition for writ of certiorari in late May 2009 with the United States Supreme Court in a property dispute which affects countless churches, religious groups, and congregations throughout America. A petition for certiorari means that St. James is asking the Justices to review the opinion rendered by the California Supreme Court. It includes a list of the parties, a statement of the facts of the case, the legal questions presented for review, and arguments as to why the Court should grant the petition.

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Important Dates

Important dates to watch as this case makes its way to the United States Supreme Court. Please know that some dates are approximate and subject to change. Sign up for site alerts to be notified of changes.

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Site Announcements

  • U.S. Supreme Court Decides on Petition for Writ of Certiorari
    Mon, 10/05/2009 - 7:13am

    News from St. James Anglican Church

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    ST. JAMES CHURCH’S PROPERTY RIGHTS BATTLE WITH THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH CONTINUES IN CALIFORNIA’S ORANGE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT; U.S. SUPREME COURT DENIES PETITION

    NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – October 5, 2009 – The Supreme Court of the United States today denied a petition by St. James Church, Newport Beach, CA to hear its church property rights battle with the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles and the national Episcopal Church (TEC). However, the property rights case is far from over and the case continues in the Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana, CA.

  • Analysis of our Latest Court Ruling
    Thu, 07/16/2009 - 7:24pm

    See A.S. Haley's (Anglican Curmudgeon) excellent article summarizing the procedural history of the St. James court case in light of the favorable court ruling on behalf of St.

  • St James Church Prevails on Two Motions
    Wed, 07/15/2009 - 12:47pm

    NEWS FROM ST. JAMES ANGLICAN CHURCH

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    ST. JAMES CHURCH PREVAILS ON TWO MOTIONS BROUGHT BY THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF LOS ANGELES AND THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
    SEEKING TO END THE CASE IN THEIR FAVOR

    SANTA ANA, Calif. – July 15, 2009 – On July 13 St. James Church won a significant legal battle in its property rights case in Orange County Superior Court when Judge Thierry P. Colaw denied two motions brought by the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles and The Episcopal Church which sought to end the case in their favor.

    The Diocese brought a demurrer — a formal objection to an opponent’s pleadings — to the St. James cross-complaint, arguing that the California Supreme Court’s February 2009 decision definitively awarded St. James’s property to the Diocese. The Diocese also argued that a Diocesan-issued 1991 letter waiving the Diocese’s trust interest over the property on 32nd Street had already been addressed in favor of the Diocese by the California Supreme Court. Attorneys for The Episcopal Church brought a similar motion, arguing that they prevailed on their complaint on similar grounds. The Episcopal parties made these arguments even though the case went up on appeal before the St. James defendants ever answered the Episcopal complaints or brought affirmative defenses.

  • St James Church Files Petition for Writ of Certiorari
    Wed, 06/24/2009 - 11:46am

    NEWS FROM ST. JAMES ANGLICAN CHURCH

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    ST. JAMES CHURCH’S LEGAL BATTLE OVER ITS PROPERTY
    MOVING TO UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT:
    PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI WILL BE FILED TODAY

  • Superior Court Denies Episcopal Diocese's Motion for Attorneys' Fees
    Fri, 05/15/2009 - 1:52pm

    NEWS FROM ST. JAMES ANGLICAN CHURCH

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    SUPERIOR COURT DENIES EPISCOPAL DIOCESE’S MOTION FOR ATTORNEYS’ FEES BROUGHT AGAINST ST. JAMES CHURCH AND ITS VOLUNTEER BOARD IN CHURCH PROPERTY CASE

    SANTA ANA, Calif. – May 15, 2009 – Orange County Superior Court Judge Thierry P. Colaw today denied a motion by the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles which would have forced St. James Church and its volunteer board of directors to pay the Diocese’s attorneys’ fees in this ongoing property dispute.

    The case began when St. James Church disaffiliated from the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles and the Episcopal Church over theological differences in August 2004. The Diocese then sued St. James Church, All Saints Church in Long Beach, and St. David’s Church in North Hollywood, and each of their volunteer board members in September 2004. Subsequently, the national Episcopal Church intervened in the lawsuit with its own claims. The three local churches brought special motions to strike the Diocese’s suit under a unique California statute providing for early evaluation of cases involving free speech rights.

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Questions or Feedback?

Contact the SteadfastInFaith.org team directly using our online contact form or by reaching us at:

St James Anglican Church
Attn: SteadfastInFaith.org
3209 Via Lido
Newport Beach CA 92663
www.stjamesnb.org
Tel: +1 (949) 675-0210