Virginia must be the only State (of which I am aware) in which there is no automatic right to appeal a judgment in a civil case. Its Courts of Appeal deal exclusively with criminal cases, and that structure leaves only its Supreme Court to deal with civil appeals. The latter court, however, does not have to accept any civil appeal. Instead, the procedure is to file a petition with the Court, which briefly addresses each point of error in the trial court’s decision which the petitioner would like the Supreme Court to agree to hear and resolve. In explaining the points of error, the petitioner must set forth reasons why they are worthy of attention by the State’s highest court.
[On Friday]…came word that one of Virginia’s largest and oldest churches, The Falls Church, which lost its case to be declared the owner, free and clear, of its long-held real and personal property (worth tens of millions of dollars), had filed a petition for review of that decision with the Virginia Supreme Court. Their petition raises six assignments of error.
This is another excellent article from Mr. Haley, outlining the particulars of this appeal. One note at the end of the piece did stand out for me: the Falls Church is comparing their appeal with St. Paul’s appeal to Caesar. While I have general admiration for the Falls Church in their consistent appeal to the texts and characters of Scripture as the guiding light in deciding how to proceed each step of the way, one aspect of this particular example does stand out.
St. Paul did appeal to Caesar. He did go to Rome. It is unclear whether he actually had his hearing. But one thing is quite certain: St. Paul was martyred because of this legal move. And yet, even in this, God was glorified through his death.
May God grant the Falls Church a different end in this matter, but may He prepare them for whatever end He desires to bring about in this matter for His glory.