ST. GEORGE, SC, Feb. 3, 2015 \u201d\u201c In a 46 page opinion, South Carolina Circuit Court Judge Diane S. Goodstein, ruled that The Diocese of South Carolina, The Trustees of the Diocese and 36 parish churches successfully withdrew from The Episcopal Church in 2012 taking with them all their property, including churches, symbols and other assets. The ruling is the result of a three-week trial last summer in which over 50 witnesses testified.<\/p>\n
The historic ruling comprehensively resolves the issues surrounding the more than $500 million in property owned by the Diocese and its parishes, which disassociated from the denomination in 2012 after TEC improperly attempted to remove Bishop Mark Lawrence as head of the Diocese.<\/p>\n
The judge\u2019s decision found baseless TEC\u2019s claim that it owned the Diocese\u2019s identity and properties. During the trial, the Diocese demonstrated that it existed long before TEC was established \u201d\u201c and that it was one of the dioceses that founded the denomination in 1789. It also proved that every diocese is free to associate with a denomination of its choosing.<\/p>\n
The Court found that \u201cthe Constitution and Canons of TEC have no provisions which state that a member diocese cannot voluntarily withdraw its membership.\u201d\u009d The ruling found that had there been such a provision, it would have violated the Diocese\u2019s \u201cconstitutionally-protected right\u201d\u009d to freedom of association. \u201cWith the freedom to associate goes its corollary, the freedom to disassociate,\u201d\u009d Judge Goodstein said.<\/p>\n
The Court also found that TEC had \u201cno express or constructive trust\u201d\u009d in Diocese or Parish property.<\/p>\n