FOURTH D I VI SI ON

DOYLE, P. J.

, M I LLER and DI LLA RD, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n

da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s /

Nov em ber 13, 2014



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 4 A1 20 5 . THOM AS v . J OHNSON et al

. DO-0 6 2

D O Y LE , Pres i d i n g J u d g e.

J an e Th o m as

, as t h e Pres i d i n g El d er o f t h e Si xt h Ep i s co p al Di s t ri ct Geo rg i a o f

t h e Ch ri s t i an M et h o di st E p i s co p al Ch u rch (“ t h e CM E”), fi l ed a p et i t i o n fo r

de c la r at ory ju d g m en t an d an i n

ju n ct i o n ag ai ns t Beu l ah J o hn s on

, Mari o n Sh an n o n, J r

. ,

Th o m as Ho ward

, an d Ro b ert Hu n t

, s eek i n g us e an d co n t ro l o f t h e Bet h el Ch ri s t i an

M et ho d is t Ch u rch (“ Bet h el Ch u rch ”). Fo l l o wi n g an ev i d e n t iary h eari n g

, t h e t ri al

co u rt en t ered fi n al j u d g m e n t i n fav o r o f t h e d efen d an ts

. Th e CM E ap p eal s

, an d we

v acat e an d rem an d t he cas e fo r t h e reas on s t h at fo l l ow.

In i t s p e t i t i o n

, t h e CM E, “ a h i erarch al rel i g i ou s den o m in at i o n [, wh i ch ] i s

o rg an i zed an d fu n ct i on s s o l el y as a co nn ect i o n al ch u rch wi t h s u b o rd i n at e g o v ern i n g

d i s t ri ct s an d l o cat io n ch u rch [es ] ,” al l eg ed th at fo r o v er 1 0 0 y ears

, Bet h el Ch u rch h asb een “ a s u b o rd i n at ed , co n n ect i o n al m em b er o f t h e n at i o n al CM E ch u rch ,” wh i ch i s

“ s u b ject to t h e p ract i ce, pro ced u res , ru l es , an d reg u l at i o n s as s t at ed i n Th e Bo o k o f

Di s ci p l i ne o f t h e [CM E]

, an d o t h er g o v ern in g d o cu m en t s .” T h e CM E fu rt h er al l eg ed

t h at Bet h el Ch u rch u s ed t h e n am e o f t h e CM E ch u rch ; ab i ded by t h e CM E p o l i ci es

an d cu s to m s ; a c cep t ed t h e p as t o rat e an d li t erat u re o f t h e CM E m i n is ters ; p ai d

co n feren ce as ses s m e n t s a n d d u es t o t h e CM E ; an d p art i ci p at ed an d en ro l l ed as a

s u b o rd i n at e m em

ber o f t h e CM E at an n u al an d q u art erl y co n feren ces

. 1

On J an u ary 1 0

, 2 0 1 1

, Bet h el Ch u rch ex ecu t ed a res ol u t i o n ack n o wl ed g i n g t h at

al t h o u g h “ i n recen t y ears [i t ] h as en jo y ed an affi l i at i on wi t h t h e Si x t h Di s t ri ct o f t h e

[CM E] ,” i t was effect i v el y “ t erm i n at [i n g ] an d can cel [i ng ] an y an d al l affi li at i o n wi th

t h e [CM E ] i n al l res p ect s

, effect i v e o n J an uary 1

, 2 0 1 1 .” On Jan u ary 9

, 20 1 1

, t h e

CM E f i l ed i t s p et i t io n fo r decl arat o ry ju dg m en t an d i n ju n ct i v e rel i ef, al l eg i n g t h at

p u rs u an t t o Th e Bo ok o f Di s ci p l i n e, t h e Bet h el Ch u rch p ro pert y was h el d i n t ru s t fo r

t h e CM E, wh i ch i s “ t h e l eg al an d eq u i t ab l e o wn er” o f t h e p ro pert y

. 2

1 Th e CM E at t ach ed as ex h i b i t s t o t h e p et i t i o n m u l ti p le d o cu m en t s t o s u p p o rt

t h es e al l eg at io n s

, in cl u d in g Bet h el Ch u rch p ro g ram s b eari n g t h e n am e “ Bet h el CM E

Ch u rch ” an d v ari ou s CM E co n feren ce d o cu m en t s l i s ti n g “ Bet hel CM E Ch u rch .”

2 Th e CM E al l eg ed t hat t h e d efen d an t s ch an g ed t h e l o ck s to t he ch u rch

, ch an ged t h e ch urch n am e, refu s ed t o a l l o w t h e CM E p as t or an d p res i d i n g el d er to

en t er t he ch u rch , an d m i s us ed fu n d s.

2Th e CM E at t ach ed as ex hi b i t s t o t he co m p l ai n t an ex cerp t fro m t h e 2 0 1 0 CM E

Bo o k o f Di s ci p l i n e an d a co p y o f a q u i t cl ai m d eed fo r t h e ch u rch p ro p ert y

, ex ecu t ed

o n M arch 1 3

, 1 9 9 6

, wh i ch refl ect s t h at C. C. Ran ch

, In c., a Fl ori d a co rp o rat i o n

,

co n vey ed t h e p ro pe r

ty a t issue “ u nto B E ULAH JOHNSON, SOLOM O N M cCRARY,

M ARION SHANNON, LU C I L L E E Z E L L

, a nd T H O MAS HOW ARD as t h e Tru s t ees

o f Bet h el Ch urch an d t o t h e i r su cces s o rs i n offi ce (Bet h el Ch u rch bei n g an

u n i n co rp o rat ed rel i g i o us as s o ci at i on ) o f Crawfo rd Co un t y

, Geo rg i a, t h ei r s u cces s o rs

,

h ei rs

, ex ecu t o rs , ad m i n i st rat o rs [,] an d as s i gn s

. ”

Th e d efen d an t s fi l ed an an s we r

, a n d t h e t ri al co u rt co n d u ct ed a fi n al h eari n g

o n Au gu s t 1

, 2 0 1 3

. Th e d efen d an t s p res en t ed a wi t n es s at t h e h eari n g

, bu t t h e t ri al

co u rt d i d n o t h ear t h e t es t i m o n y o f t h e CM E’ s wi t nes s es

. 3

On Decem

b er 1 6, 2 0 13

, t h e t ri al co u rt en t ered a fi n al ju d g m en t i n fav o r o f t h e

d efen d an t s

. In i t s ord er, t h e tri al co u rt fo u n d t hat t he 1 9 96 q u i t cl ai m d eed co n v ey i n g

t h e ch u rch p ro p ert y at i s s u e t o Bet h el Ch urch d i d n o t creat e a t ru s t i n fav o r o f t h e

CM E

. An d d es p i t e co n cl u d i n g t h at Bet h el Ch u rch “ i s a m em b er o f . . . [t h e CM E] ,”

a h i erarch i cal o rg an i zat i o n

, an d t h at Bet h el Ch urch “ is

, b y ag reem en t

, b o u n d to

3 Al t ho u g h th e t ri al co u rt en g ag ed i n co l lo q uy wi t h defen d an t Ho ward

, Ho ward

was n o t s wo rn i n

, n or di d h e t ak e t h e s t an d

, d es p i t e t he CM E’ s lawy er’ s req u es t t h at

h e d o s o

.

3fo l l o w i t s o rg an i zat i o n al b y -l aws

, co d i fi ed i n Th e Bo o k o f Di s ci p li n e,” t h e t ri al co u rt

ru l ed t h at t h e CM E h ad no ri g h t s t o t h e p ro pert y b ecau s e t h ere was i n s u f f i c i en t

ev i d en ce t h at Bet h el Ch u rch ’ s co n d u ct an d rel at i o n s h i p w it h t h e CM E creat ed an

i m p l i e d t r u s t i n fav o r o f th e CM E. 4 Th e CM E ap peal s

, arg u in g t h at th e t ri al co u rt

d en ied i t d u e p ro ces s o f l aw b y p recl u d i n g it fro m p res en t i n g ev i d en ce at t h e fi n al

h eari n g an d th at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y fi n d in g t h at t h e CM E h ad n o i n t eres t i n t h e

p ro p ert y

.

W h i l e t h e St at e h as a l eg i t i m at e i n t eres t i n t he p eacefu l res o l u t i o n

o f p ro p ert y d i s p u tes an d p ro v i d es a ci v il fo ru m i n w h i ch t h e o wn ers h i p

o f ch u rch pro p ert y can b e d e t e rm i n ed

, t h e Fi rs t Am en d m en t s ev erel y

ci rcu m s cri b es t h e r o l e th at ci v i l co u rt s m ay p l ay i n res o l v i n g ch urch

p ro p ert y d i sp u tes

. As a res u l t

, ci v i l co u rt s u s e n eu t ral pri n ci p l es o f l aw,

i .e., st at u t es

, ch art ers

, rel ev an t d eed s o f co n v ey an ce, a n d t h e

o rg an i zat i o n al co n st i t u t io n s an d b y l aws o f t he d en o m i n at i on

, t o res o lv e

h i erarch i cal ch u rch p ro p ert y d i s p u t es

. A t ru s t i n fav o r o f t he gen eral

ch u rch can be creat ed b y t h e d eed o n t h e p ro p ert y

, can be i m p l ied u nd er

4 Th e t ri al ju d g e at tem

p t ed t o d i s t in g u i s h h e i ns t an t cas e fro m Rect or

, W a r d en s

, Ves t r ymen o f Ch r i s t Ch u r ch i n S

a va n n ah v. Bi sh o

p o f Ep i s co pa l

, 2 9 0 Ga. 95

, 9 6 -9 7

(1 ) (7 18 SE2 d 2 3 7) (2 01 1 ) (ap p l y i n g t h e n eu t ral p ri n ci pl es o f l aw an d affi rm i n g t h e

t ri al co u rt ’ s fi n d i n g t hat t h e p ro p ert y o f a l o cal ch u rch i s h el d i n t ru s t fo r t h e b en efi t

o f t h e Pro t es t an t Ep i s co p al Ch u rch i n t h e Un it ed St at es o f Am eri ca ).

4s t at e s t at u t es

, o r can b e req u i red b y t h e co n st i t u t i o n o f t h e gen eral

ch u rch

. 5

We r e v i ew al l o f t h es e m at eri al s

, k eep in g i n m i n d t h at t h e

o u t co m e o f t hes e ch u rch p ro p ert y d i s p u t es u s ual l y t u rn s o n t h e s p eci fi c

fact s p res en ted i n t he reco rd

, t h at t h e n eu tral p ri nci p l e fact o rs are

i n t errel at ed

, an d t h at o u r u l t i m at e g o al i s t o d et erm i n e th e i n t en t io n s o f

t h e p art i es at th e l o cal an d n at i o nal l ev el reg ard i n g b en efi ci al o wn ers h i p

o f t h e p ro p ert y at i s s u e as ex p res s ed b efo re t h e d i s pu t e eru p ted i n a

l eg al l y co g n izab l e fo rm

. 6

Th e CM E’ s Bo o k o f D i s ci p l i n e p ro vi d es t h at “ [t ] i tl es t o al l p ro p ert i es h el d at

[v ari ou s ] l ev el s

, l o cal ch urch es

, o r an ag en cy o r i n st i tu t i o n o f t he ch u rch s h al l b e h el d

i n t ru s t fo r t h e [CM E] an d s u b ject t o t he p ro v i s i o n s o f i t s Di s ci p l in e.” 7 Parag rap h

5 (Ci t at i on s o m i t t ed

. ) Kemp v. Nea l

, 2 8 8 G a. 3 2 4

, 3 2 6 (2 ) (7 0 4 SE2 d 1 7 5 )

(2 0 1 0), ci t i n g Jo n es v. W ol f

, 4 4 3 U. S. 5 95

, 6 0 2 (III) (9 9 SCt 3 0 20

, 6 1 L E 2 d 7 7 5 )

(1 9 7 9).

6 (Ci t at i on s an d p un ct u at i o n o m i t t ed

. ) Pr es b yt er y o f Gr ea t e r A t l a n t a

, In c. v.

Ti mb er ri d g e Pr es b yt er i an Ch u r ch

, In c

., 2 9 0 Ga. 2 7 2

, 2 7 6

- 2 7 7 (2 ) (7 1 9 SE2 d 4 4 6 )

(2 0 1 1). See al s o Rect o r & c o f Ch r i s t Ch ur ch i n S

a va n n a h , 2 9 0 Ga. at 9 6-9 7

.

7 (Pu n ct u at io n om i t t ed .) Th e Bo o k o f Di sci p l i n e, Par. 6 0 2 (2 01 0 ed .). W e n o t e

t h at t h ere i s n o ev i d en ce i n th e reco rd reg ard i n g wh et h er t h e p ro v i s i o n s o f Th e Bo o k

o f D i s ci p l i n e ci t ed h erei n were i n effect at t h e t i m e t h e ch u rch p ro p ert y was

co n vey ed

. Becau s e, h o wev er, t h e CM E w as p recl ud ed fro m pres en t i n g ev id en ce, we

as s u m e t hat t h e p ro v i s i o n s were i n effect at th e rel ev an t t i m e f o r p u rp o s es o f t h i s

ap p eal

.

56 0 2 .2 (2 0 1 0 ed .) of Th e Bo o k o f Di s ci p l i n e p ro v i d es t hat ev ery d eed o f p ro p ert y to

a l o cal ch u rch s h al l i n cl u d e a t ru s t cl au s e, wh i ch p ro v i d es th at th e p ro p ert y i s h el d in

t ru s t fo r th e u s e of t h e m em bers an d m i n i s try o f t h e CM E. Gi ven t h i s l an g u ag e i n t h e

g o v ern i n g CM E do cu m en ts

, ev i d en c e r e ga r ding w he the r B e the l C hur ch was affi l i at ed

wi t h t h e CM E, accep t ed t he b en efi t s affo rd ed t o i t as a res u l t

, an d was s u b ject t o t h e

t ru s t p ro v i s i o n s o f Th e Bo o k o f Di s ci p li n e was rel ev an t. 8

Here, h o wev er, t h e t ri al co u rt p ro h i b i t ed t h e CM E fro m p res en t i ng wi t n es s es

an d ev i d en ce t o s u p p o rt i t s cl ai m s

. At m u lt i pl e t i m es d u ri n g t h e fi n al h eari n g

, co u n s el

fo r t h e CM E as k ed t o p r e s e n t w i t n es s es

, b u t t h e t ri al co u rt d id no t p erm i t her t o d o

s o

, i n st ead l i m i ti n g t h e h eari n g t o arg u m en t fro m co un s el an d t es t i m o ny fro m a

d efen s e wi t n es s an d an u n s wo rn d efen d an t

. At on e p o i n t n ear th e en d o f t h e h eari n g,

t h e t ri al co u rt n o t ed a l ack o f ev i d en ce i n t h e reco rd o n a part i cu l ar i s s u e, an d co u n s el

fo r t h e CM E res p o n d ed t h at s h e wo u l d h av e p res en t ed ev i d en ce i f g i v en t h e

o p p o rt u ni t y

t o d o s o

.

Th e co n s ti t u t i o n o f t h i s [S] t at e g u aran tees t o al l p e r s o n s d ue

p ro ces s o f l aw an d u nfet tered acces s t o t he co urt s o f t h i s [S] t at e. Th es e

8 See Rect o r & c of Ch r i s t Ch u r ch i n S a va n n a h

, 2 9 0 Ga. at 1 1 5 -1 1 6 (1 ) (c) (7 );

S i r ma n s v. Bo a rd o

f Tr u st ees o

f S o u t h Geo r

g i a An n ua l Co n

f er en ce of U

n i t e d

Met ho d i s t , 2 9 5 Ga. Ap p . 3 7 8 , 3 8 2 -3 8 4 (4 ) (6 7 2 SE2 d 4 2 3 ) (2 0 0 8 ).

6fu n d am en t al co n s ti t u t i o n al ri g h t s req u i re t h at ev ery p art y t o a l aws u it be

affo rd ed t h e op p o rt u n i t y t o be h eard an d t o p res en t h i s cl ai m o r d efen s e,

i .e., t o h av e h i s d ay i n co u rt

. In t eg ral t o t h es e ri g h t s i s t h e ab i l i t y t o

p res en t wi t n es s es an d o t h er l awfu l ev i d en ce; t h u s

, l im i t at io n s im p o s ed

b y a t ri al ju d g e t h at p rev en t a fu l l an d m ean i n g fu l p res en tat i o n o f t h e

m eri t s o f t h e cas e m an d at e rev ers al

. 9

In t h i s cas e, t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s co n d u ct at t h e fi n al h eari n g d ep ri v ed t h e CM E o f i t s ri g ht

t o d u e pro ces s

. 1 0 A cco rd i n g ly

, we v acat e t h e fi n al ju d g m en t an d rem an d fo r a fu l l

ev i d en t i ary

h eari n g

.

Ju d g men t va ca t ed a nd ca s e r ema n d

ed . Mi l l er a n d Di l l a r d

, JJ., co n cu r

.

9 (Ci t at i on an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i tt ed .) Co u s i n s v. Ma ced o n i a B a p t i s t Ch u r ch of

At l a n t a

, 2 8 3 Ga. 5 7 0

, 5 7 3 -5 7 4 (1 ) (6 6 2 SE2 d 53 3 ) (2 0 0 8 ), ci t in g G a. Co n s t

. o f 1 9 8 3,

Art . I, Sec. I, Pars . I, XII.

1 0 See Co us i n s , 2 8 3 Ga. at 5 7 4 (1 ).

7