Opinion ID: 2639442
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: hamilton's return to vance springs

Text: ¶ 9 About the time the County published notice of the 1991 tax sale, defendant Hamilton rejoined the Fraternity at Vance Springs. By this time, Hamilton was aware of the tax dispute between the Fraternity and the County, and he held the Fraternity's belief that religious organizations are inherently tax exempt. Consequently, Hamilton continued to occupy Vance Springs with several other Fraternity members until mid-1996. In July of that year, pursuant to a quiet title judgment and writ of restitution obtained by Ranger Enterprises, Beaver County sheriff's deputies went to Vance Springs to evict any trespassing Fraternity members. The deputies removed everyone from Vance Springs except for Hamilton, who eluded them by hiding in some trees. Several officers returned in September 1996 to remove Hamilton from the property. When he refused to leave voluntarily, the officers arrested him for criminal trespass. A jury convicted Hamilton on several counts of criminal trespass, and the trial court sentenced him to a one-year probation on the condition that he stay away from Vance Springs. ¶ 10 About a year after Hamilton's conviction for trespass, he resumed his efforts to assert ownership of the Vance Springs property by recording documents regarding the property. [6] Then in 1999, he filed a criminal trespass suit against Ranger Enterprises in federal district court and asked the court to determine the true owner of the property. Apparently believing that his work at the recorder's office had created sufficient ownership uncertainty, Hamilton and two other Fraternity members returned to Vance Springs in July 1999 without a ruling from the court. ¶ 11 In August 1999, Ranger Enterprises filed a second quiet title action naming Hamilton. Hamilton was served with the summons and complaint but disregarded them because his name appeared in all capital letters in the caption. [7] When Hamilton did not respond to or appear in the quiet title action, the trial court entered a default judgment against him and declared that he had no right, title, or interest in Vance Springs. Hamilton did not appeal the judgment. Ranger Enterprises subsequently asked the sheriff's department to arrest anyone who continued to trespass on Vance Springs.