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On Monday at 9:30 a.m., the court is expected to release orders from the February 21 conference. At 10:00 a.m., the justices will hear oral argument in U.S. Forest Service v. Cowpasture River Preservation Association. Click to read our preview from Noah Sachs.
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The Falls Church v. The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America

Petition for certiorari denied on March 10, 2014
Docket No. Op. Below Argument Opinion Vote Author Term
13-449 Va. - N/A N/A N/A N/A OT 2013

Issue: (1) Whether the First Amendment permits civil courts to retroactively impose a “trust” on church property based on church canons that were never embodied in any secular instrument of property ownership and did not comply with state law at the time of their adoption; (2) whether the Contracts Clause permits civil courts resolving church property disputes to apply changes to state statutory law retroactively.

SCOTUSblog Coverage

DateProceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
Aug 30 2013Application (13A235) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from September 12, 2013 to October 9, 2013, submitted to The Chief Justice.
Sep 4 2013Application (13A235) granted by The Chief Justice extending the time to file until October 9, 2013.
Oct 9 2013Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due November 8, 2013)
Oct 22 2013Waiver of right of respondent The Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Virginia to respond filed.
Oct 25 2013Waiver of right of respondent The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America to respond filed.
Nov 8 2013Brief amici curiae of The Anglican Church in North America, et al. filed.
Nov 8 2013Brief amicus curiae of Presbyterian Lay Committee filed.
Nov 8 2013Brief amici curiae of St. James Anglican Church, et al. filed.
Nov 8 2013Brief amicus curiae of Becket Fund for Religious Liberty filed.
Nov 8 2013Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for petitioner.
Nov 20 2013DISTRIBUTED for Conference of December 6, 2013.
Nov 21 2013Response Requested . (Due December 23, 2013)
Dec 6 2013Order extending time to file response to petition to and including December 30, 2013.
Dec 30 2013Brief of respondent The Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Virginia in opposition filed.
Jan 8 2014Reply of petitioner The Falls Church, aka The Church at the Falls - The Falls Church filed.
Jan 8 2014DISTRIBUTED for Conference of January 24, 2014.
Feb 10 2014DISTRIBUTED for Conference of February 21, 2014.
Feb 24 2014DISTRIBUTED for Conference of February 28, 2014.
Mar 3 2014DISTRIBUTED for Conference of March 7, 2014.
Mar 10 2014Petition DENIED.
 
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