Opinion ID: 2337086
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Church property dispute

Text: In our application of the neutralprinciples approach, we must refrain from resolving the dispute on the basis of religious doctrine and practice and must rely exclusively on objective, well-established concepts of trust and property law ... [.] Jones, supra . Any documents, such as the church constitution, pertinent to the dispute, must be scrutinized in purely secular terms. If these documents incorporate[] religious concepts in the provisions relating to the ownership of property and if the interpretation of those instruments requires the resolution of a religious matter, then we must defer to the resolution of the doctrinal issues by the authoritative ecclesiastical body. Id. When we are called upon to construe deeds and other writings, we are concerned primarily with ascertaining the intention of the parties, and such writings will be examined from their four corners for the purpose of ascertaining that intent from the language employed. Webber v. Webber, 331 Ark. 395, 962 S.W.2d 345 (1998). In reviewing instruments, our first duty is to give effect to every word, sentence, and provision of a deed where possible to do so. Id. We will not resort to rules of construction when a deed is clear and contains no ambiguities, but only when its language is ambiguous, uncertain, or doubtful. Bennett v. Henderson, 281 Ark. 222, 663 S.W.2d 180 (1984); Barnes v. Barnes, 275 Ark. 117, 627 S.W.2d 552 (1982). The first element of the neutralprinciples approach is to review the language of the deeds. Here, the language of the deeds indicates that the local trustees of the Palmetto church hold title to the property. As previously outlined, on September 21, 1949, M.L. and Cora Dixon conveyed title to Tract A by warranty deed to Cumberland Presbyterian ChurchEwing Presbytery, the former Arkansas Cumberland, and on July 2, 1968, Arkansas Cumberland deeded it back to the trustees of Palmetto. The deed for Tract A contains the following language: THAT WE, Clyde Kinslow, Carleton Bowden, Ray McSpadden, as Trustees for Cumberland Presbyterian Church Ewing-Barrow Presbytery (formerly Ewing Presbytery), GRANTORS, for and in consideration of the sum of one and No/100 dollars ($1.00) in hand paid by Bobby Gene Jones, Carrol Norris, Arvil Hudson, Glen Bond, Sr., Kenneth Norris, Kurt Richter as Trustees for the Palmetto Cumberland Presbyterian Church, GRANTEES, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, hereby grant, bargain, sell and convey unto the said GRANTEES, and unto their successors and assigns forever, the following land lying in Pope County, Arkansas,...[.] To have and to hold the same unto the said GRANTEES, and unto their successors and assigns forever, with all appurtenances thereunto belonging. And we hereby covenant with said GRANTEES that we will forever warrant and defend the title to the said lands against all claims whatever. The trial court heard testimony from Carleton Bowden, one of the Arkansas Cumberland trustees who was named in the 1968 Cumberland conveyance, and ruled that [t]he testimony of Carlton Bowden was compelling in that he stated that the intent of the parent church in deeding the one acre to Palmetto was to give full title with no encumbrances. Mr. Bowden testified: What happened in 1968 was that the Palmetto congregation requested they be given a deed by the Presbytery to the church property, the Presbytery considered the request, granted it, instructed the Trustees of Ewing Burrow Presbytery to give a deed to the Palmetto Church.... In my opinion, the Trustees had been deeded to the congregation.... My opinion as to why the Cumberland Presbyterian Church is trying to back out of the 1968 Warranty Deed or why they want their property back is two fold. I think the Presbytery desires to retain the property and are reluctant to allow a precedent to be set which might cause other small churches to take similar action[.] The warranty deed concerning Tract B contains similar language. The deed for Tract B conveys title from Cora Dixon to Bobby Gene Jones, Carrol Norris, Arvil Hudson, Glen Bond, Sr., Kenneth Norris, and Kurt Richter as trustees for Palmetto as grantees, [t]o have and to hold the same unto the same GRANTEES, and unto their successors and assigns forever, with all appurtenances thereunto belonging. Later, on February 28, 1977, W.M. and Bernetta Kinslow conveyed title for Tract C to the same individuals, who were listed as grantees. The language of the deed for Tract C is identical to the Tract B deed. In our review of the language of the deeds, we note that nothing in the language of the deeds reflects that the Palmetto property was held in trust for the Arkansas Cumberland or the National Church. The language of the deeds vests title and control over the property to the named Palmetto trustees. Moreover, Arkansas Cumberland and the National Church did not contribute to the acquisition of the property, and the local Palmetto congregation exercised complete control over the property. With regard to the second and third elements of the neutral-principles approach approved by the Supreme Court, we note that there is not a local church charter in the record before us, and neither party claims that any state statute creates a trust in the property. We next consider the National Church constitution in effect at the time of the conveyances. The sections of the church constitutions do not contain any language expressly creating a trust in church property in favor of the National Church. The Cumberland Presbyterian Digest of 1957 states: 11. Title to Church Property