A group of conservative former Episcopal churches tangled with the Episcopal Church and its Diocese of Virginia before the Virginia Supreme Court on Tuesday over a unique state law that awards property to congregations that bolt their parent denomination.
The 90-minute session before a packed courtroom of 140 onlookers, plus more outside, appealed a Fairfax Circuit Court verdict that awarded about $30 million worth of historic property to the 11 churches that broke away from the diocese three years ago.
Five justices ”” three others had recused themselves from the case ”” grilled lawyers about the meaning and constitutionality of the state’s division statute. The 1867 law allowed congregations ”” many of which had differed with their denominations over slavery ”” to leave with their property.