Supreme Court of Texas Blog

No. 11-0265
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THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF FORT WORTH, ET AL. v. THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH, ET AL.

Oral argument was held on October 16, 2012. The Court issued an opinion resolving the case on August 30, 2013. It then denied rehearing on March 21, 2014 File Closed

In the news...

Tracking 7 articles about this case.

November 3, 2014

U.S. high court declines to hear Fort Worth Episcopal dispute

Read article

from Fort Worth Star-Telegram

The Court has issued opinions:

Johnson Jefferson Hecht Green Guzman

Opinion of the Court

Willett Lehrmann Boyd Devine

Dissenting

September 30, 2013

Supreme Court Reverses Summary Judgments In Episcopal Church Property Division Cases

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from Sua Sponte

The article also mentions:
  • ROBERT MASTERSON, MARK BROWN, GEORGE BUTLER, CHARLES WESTBROOK, RICHEY OLIVER, CRAIG PORTER, SHARON WEBER, JUNE SMITH, RITA BAKER, STEPHANIE PEDDY, BILLIE RUTH HODGES, DALLAS CHRISTIAN, AND THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD v. THE DIOCESE OF NORTHWEST TEXAS, THE REV. CELIA ELLERY, DON GRIFFIS, AND MICHAEL RYAN

    • August 30, 2013

    13 decisions in the Court’s end-of-term orders [Aug. 30, 2013]

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    from SCOTXblog

    This article also mentions 13 other cases.

    December 24, 2012

    Texas Supreme Court wades into Episcopal dispute

    Read article

    from Austin American-Statesman

    The article also mentions:
  • ROBERT MASTERSON, MARK BROWN, GEORGE BUTLER, CHARLES WESTBROOK, RICHEY OLIVER, CRAIG PORTER, SHARON WEBER, JUNE SMITH, RITA BAKER, STEPHANIE PEDDY, BILLIE RUTH HODGES, DALLAS CHRISTIAN, AND THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD v. THE DIOCESE OF NORTHWEST TEXAS, THE REV. CELIA ELLERY, DON GRIFFIS, AND MICHAEL RYAN

    • August 31, 2012

    Year-End Orders – 18 sets of opinions, 5 new cases set for argument [Aug. 31, 2012]

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    from SCOTXblog

    This article also mentions 23 other cases.

    April 10, 2012

    NPR story about Virginia’s “Episcopal Battle”

    Read article

    from SCOTXblog

    The article also mentions:
  • ROBERT MASTERSON, MARK BROWN, GEORGE BUTLER, CHARLES WESTBROOK, RICHEY OLIVER, CRAIG PORTER, SHARON WEBER, JUNE SMITH, RITA BAKER, STEPHANIE PEDDY, BILLIE RUTH HODGES, DALLAS CHRISTIAN, AND THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD v. THE DIOCESE OF NORTHWEST TEXAS, THE REV. CELIA ELLERY, DON GRIFFIS, AND MICHAEL RYAN

    • January 6, 2012

    SCOTX accepts a direct appeal in one of the Episcopal Church property disputes [Jan. 6, 2012]

    Read article

    from SCOTXblog

    Opinions

    August 30, 2013

    Johnson
    Jefferson
    Hecht
    Green
    Guzman

    Justice Johnson delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Justice Hecht, Justice Green, and Justice Guzman joined, and in Parts I, II, III, and IV-A of which Chief Justice Jefferson joined. PDF

    Willett
    Lehrmann
    Boyd
    Devine

    Justice Willett delivered a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Lehrmann, Justice Boyd, and Justice Devine joined. PDF

     

    Court of Appeals

    None

    Trial Court

    Trial Court:141st District Court
    County:Tarrant
    Trial Judge:Honorable John Parrish Chupp
    Trial Docket:141-252083-11

    Entries on SCOTX Orders Lists

    Docket Entries

    Date Event Outcome  
    2014-11-06 Notice received  
    2014-07-09 Case Stored  
    2014-06-23 Letter Filed  
      This case was waiting for a possible rehearing motion between April 17, 2014 and June 23, 2014.  
    2014-04-17 Notice received  
    2014-04-17 Miscellaneous motion disposed. See Remarks.   Denied
    2014-03-31 Reply to Response to Motion  
    2014-03-27 Phone call from Clerk's Office  
    2014-03-27 Response to Motion filed  
    2014-03-27 Call received  
    2014-03-25 Miscellaneous Motion  
    2014-03-25 Call received  
    2014-03-21 Call received  
    2014-03-21 Motion for Rehearing - Disposed Denied
    2014-03-21 Mandate issued  
      This case was waiting for a possible rehearing motion between December 27, 2013 and March 21, 2014.  
    2013-12-27 Fully hyperlinked brief filed (Appellee in case)  
    2013-12-19 Reply to Response to Motion for Rehearing filed (Appellee in case)  
    2013-12-06 Response to Motion for Rehearing (Appellant in case)  
    2013-10-30 Motion for Extension of Time to File Response  
    2013-10-30 Fully hyperlinked brief filed (Appellee in case)  
    2013-10-30 Motion for Extension of Time disposed.   Filing granted
    2013-10-23 Supreme Court of Texas Requested Response  
    2013-10-21 Letter Filed  
    2013-10-18 Motion for Rehearing (Appellee in case)  
    2013-09-11 Motion for Extension of Time to File Motion for Rehearing disposed   Filing granted
    2013-09-11 Motion for Extension of Time to File Motion for Rehearing  
    2013-08-30 Opinion issued Issued
    2013-08-30 Dissenting opinion issued.   Issued
    2013-08-30 Court approved judgment sent to attorneys of record Issued
    2013-08-30 Opinion issued   direct appeal/judg of tc reversed; remanded to tc
      This case was awaiting the Court's decision after oral argument between April 26, 2013 and August 30, 2013.  
    2013-04-26 Post submission brief filed (Appellant in case)  
    2013-04-24 Additional citations received. (Appellee in case)  
    2013-03-11 Amicus Curiae Letter Received  
      This case was awaiting the Court's decision after oral argument between December 11, 2012 and March 11, 2013.  
    2012-12-11 Post submission brief filed (Appellee in case)  
    2012-12-03 Post submission brief filed (Appellant in case)  
    2012-11-15 Post submission brief filed (Appellant in case)  
    2012-11-15 Post submission brief filed (Appellant in case)  
    2012-11-06 Fully hyperlinked brief filed (Appellee in case)  
    2012-10-16 Oral argument  
    2012-10-16 Oral argument  
    2012-10-15 Response to Motion filed  
    2012-10-15 Exhibits in case/cause filed (Appellant in case)  
    2012-10-15 Brief on the Merits (Appellee in case)  
    2012-10-15 Miscellaneous motion disposed. See Remarks.   Filing granted
    2012-10-15 Phone call from Clerk's Office  
    2012-10-15 Notice requesting filing fee  
    2012-10-15 Miscellaneous motion disposed. See Remarks.   Filing granted
    2012-10-11 Miscellaneous Motion  
    2012-10-11 Response to Motion filed  
    2012-10-10 Miscellaneous Motion  
    2012-09-28 Oral Argument Submission Form from Attorney received  
    2012-09-28 Oral Argument Submission Form from Attorney received  
    2012-09-24 Amicus Curiae Letter Received  
    2012-09-07 Oral Argument Submission Form from Attorney received  
    2012-08-31 Case set for oral argument Case set for oral argument
    2012-08-31 Case set for oral argument   Case set for oral argument
    2012-08-31 Motion to Expedite disposed   Filing granted
    2012-08-29 Amicus Curiae Brief received  
      This case was waiting for oral argument between July 6, 2012 and August 29, 2012.  
    2012-07-06 Motion to Expedite Filed  
    2012-06-19 Additional citations received. (Appellee in case)  
    2012-05-04 Additional citations received. (Appellee in case)  
    2012-04-23 Amicus Curiae Brief received  
    2012-04-06 Miscellaneous motion disposed. See Remarks.   Filing granted
    2012-03-26 Fully hyperlinked brief filed (Appellee in case)  
    2012-03-23 Miscellaneous Motion  
    2012-03-23 Reply Brief (Appellant in case)  
    2012-03-13 Letter Filed  
    2012-03-13 Pro hac vice motion disposed   Filing granted
    2012-03-13 Pro hac vice motion disposed   Filing granted
    2012-03-12 Letter Filed  
    2012-03-09 Pro hac vice motion disposed   Filing granted
    2012-03-09 Pro hac vice motion disposed   Filing granted
    2012-03-09 Pro hac vice motion disposed   Filing granted
    2012-03-09 Pro hac vice motion disposed   Filing granted
    2012-03-08 Pro hac vice motion filed  
    2012-03-08 Pro hac vice motion filed  
    2012-03-08 Pro hac vice motion filed  
    2012-03-08 Brief on the Merits (Appellee in case)  
    2012-03-08 Brief on the Merits (Appellee in case)  
    2012-03-08 Pro hac vice motion filed  
    2012-03-07 Letter Filed  
    2012-03-05 Designation of Lead Counsel  
    2012-02-27 Phone call from Clerk's Office  
    2012-02-27 Amicus Curiae Brief received  
    2012-02-27 Pro hac vice motion filed  
    2012-02-27 Pro hac vice motion filed  
    2012-02-23 Motion for Extension of Time disposed.   Filing granted
    2012-02-22 Motion for Extension of Time disposed.   Filing granted
    2012-02-21 Letter Filed  
    2012-02-21 Motion for Extension of Time to File Brief filed  
    2012-02-21 Phone call from Clerk's Office  
    2012-02-21 Motion for Extension of Time to File Brief filed  
    2012-02-10 Miscellaneous motion disposed. See Remarks.   Filing granted
    2012-02-06 Brief on the Merits (Appellant in case)  
    2012-02-03 CD / Flash Drive Filed  
    2012-02-03 Miscellaneous Motion  
    2012-01-20 Letter Filed  
    2012-01-06 Direct Appeal Grant
    2012-01-06 Brief on the Merits Requested
    2012-01-06 Direct Appeal Grant
    2012-01-06 Direct Appeal disposed Jurisdiction noted in Direct Appeal.
    2012-01-06 Direct Appeal disposed Jurisdiction noted in Direct Appeal.
    2012-01-06 Motion to Amend disposed   Filing granted
      This case was waiting for a decision about briefing or a possible grant between August 4, 2011 and January 6, 2012.  
    2011-08-04 CD / Flash Drive Filed  
    2011-06-27 Amended Brief filed (Appellant in case)  
    2011-06-27 Motion to Amend Filed  
    2011-06-22 Supplement to Clerk's/Reporter's Record  
    2011-06-20 Reply to Response (Appellant in case)  
    2011-06-17 Letter Filed  
    2011-06-16 Response to Brief filed (Appellee in case)  
    2011-06-14 Motion for Extension of Time disposed.   Filing granted
    2011-06-13 Motion for Extension of Time filed  
    2011-06-06 Supplement to Clerk's/Reporter's Record  
    2011-06-03 CD / Flash Drive Filed  
    2011-06-02 Call received  
    2011-06-02 Statement of Jurisidiction  
    2011-06-01 Statement of Jurisidiction  
    2011-05-20 Phone call from Clerk's Office  
    2011-05-20 Phone call from Clerk's Office  
    2011-05-18 Clerk's Record  
    2011-05-12 Supplement to Clerk's/Reporter's Record  
    2011-05-12 CD / Flash Drive Filed  
    2011-05-11 Motion for Extension of Time disposed.   Filing granted
    2011-05-11 Corrected Notice sent to all counsel  
    2011-05-10 Motion for Extension of Time filed  
    2011-05-09 Call received  
    2011-05-04 Motion for Extension of Time disposed.   Filing granted
    2011-05-03 Direct Appeal filed (Appellant in case)  
    2011-05-03 Document filed (see remarks)  
    2011-05-03 Docketing statement filed  
    2011-05-03 Document filed (see remarks)  
    2011-05-02 Motion for Extension of Time filed  
    2011-04-29 Court reporter/recorder's record  
    2011-04-29 CD / Flash Drive Filed  
    2011-04-13 Order from Lower Court filed  
    2011-04-13 Document filed (see remarks)  
    2011-04-13 Notice of Appeal filed (Appellant in case)  
    2011-04-13 Docketing statement filed  

    Parties

    Party Counsel Role
    Local Episcopal Congregations
    Mr. Frank Gilstrap
    Mr. Frank Hill
    		 Appellee
    The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth
    Mr. Scott A. Brister
    Mr. R. David Weaver
    Mr. Kendall M. Gray
    Mr. J. Shelby Sharpe
    Mr. Gavin Burke Justiss
    		 Appellant
    The Episcopal Church
    Ms. Sandra Cockran Liser
    Ms. Mary Kostel
    Mr. David Beers
    		 Appellee
    Local Episcopal Parties
    Mr. Jonathan D.F. Nelson
    Mr. William D. Sims Jr.
    Mr. Thomas S. Leatherbury
    Ms. Kathleen Wells
    Mr. Daniel L. Tobey
    		 Appellee

    Amici Curiae

    Amicus Curiae Counsel
    Presbyterian Lay Committee
    Mr. David B. West
    Mr. Lloyd J. Lunceford
    Anglican Communion Institute, Inc.
    Mr. Richard R. Hayslett
    Liberty Institute
    Mr. Kelly J. Shackelford
    Radner, Eprhaim
    The Rev. Dr. Eprhaim Radner
    ...
    ...