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FLDS Wants Utah High Court To Stay Trustee's Action On UEP Trust

By Howard M. Friedman

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that members of the FLDS church filed a petition with the Utah Supreme Court yesterday asking it to stay, pending its decision in the matter, all but the most necessary acts regarding the United Effort Plan Trust which is being reformed under trial court supervision. The UEP trust holds almost all the property in the twin FLDS towns of Hilldale, Utah and Colorado City, Arizona. At issue is a July 27 order by trial court judge Denise Lindberg that gives acts of the court-appointed fiduciary managing the trust the force of court orders. A trial court hearing is scheduled for Sept. 21 on a final subdivision plat for the land filed by trustee Bruce Wisan that will move land from communal to individual ownership. The FLDS petition to the Utah Supreme Court urges in part: "The fiduciary has made it clear that he intends to force FLDS members to take back in their own names what they have given to the Lord, even though their faith prevents them from doing so and requires that they honor their consecration. This is nothing short of a government-imposed religious test." (See prior related posting.)

Full post as published by Religion Clause on August 20, 2010 (boomark / email).