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On the intervention of the Commonwealth in the Episcopal Church property litigation

By Steve

The Washington Post reports here ("State Files to Join Episcopal Case," by Michelle Boorstein, Saturday, January 12, 2008; Page B03), that Attorney General McDonnell has petitioned for leave of court to allow the Commonwealth to intervene in the much-publicized litigation pending in Fairfax County Circuit Court over the property rights of breakaway conservative congregations. The stated reason for the intervention is to defend the constitutionality of the Virginia statute at issue.

That seems like a pretty good reason. I've always wondered why the Attorney General never tried to inveigle himself in the Martin case, a couple of years ago.

The Washington Times has this story ("Church law may be with breakaways," by Julia Duin, January 12, 2008), that says in part: "Attorney General Bob McDonnell's motion to intervene is a significant setback to the Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Virginia, which have said secular courts have no place in resolving the property dispute ? the largest in the church's history."

Full post as published by Southwest Virginia Law Blog on January 13, 2008 (boomark / email).