State high court to review ruling on churches
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[##_1L|1358712279.jpg|width="180" height="128" alt=""|_##]The California Supreme Court has voted unanimously to review a recent appeals court ruling that the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles is the owner of the buildings, prayer books and other property of several conservative congregations that broke away from the diocese in 2004. The court announced Tuesday that it would take up the closely watched case, which involves St. James Church in Newport Beach, All Saints in Long Beach and St. David's in North Hollywood. The three parishes had pulled out of the diocese and the national Episcopal Church because of differences over biblical authority and interpretation, including the Episcopal Church's decision in 2003 to consecrate an openly gay priest as bishop of New Hampshire.
The churches placed themselves under the authority of a conservative Anglican bishop in Uganda. The diocese sued, arguing that the congregations' property was held in trust for the diocese and the Episcopal Church as a whole.
Trial courts had ruled for the three parishes but in June, a panel of the 4th District Court of Appeal in Santa Ana reversed those decisions.
Diocesan attorney John R. Shiner said Tuesday he was confident that the state Supreme Court would affirm the appellate court's decision, which was unanimous.
Eric Sohlgren, lead attorney for St. James, said he was encouraged by the high court's decision to review the case, and said it could affect trial proceedings for other churches embroiled in similar property disputes.
"We think it's an important step toward calming the legal turmoil created by the appellate court decision," Sohlgren said.
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Grounds for Divorce in Ohio - Sylkatis Law, LLC
A divorce in Ohio is filed when there is typically “fault” by one of the parties and party not at “fault” seeks to end the marriage. A court in Ohio may grant a divorce for the following reasons:
• Willful absence of the adverse party for one year
• Adultery
• Extreme cruelty
• Fraudulent contract
• Any gross neglect of duty
• Habitual drunkenness
• Imprisonment in a correctional institution at the time of filing the complaint
• Procurement of a divorce outside this state by the other party
Additionally, there are two “no-fault” basis for which a court may grant a divorce:
• When the parties have, without interruption for one year, lived separate and apart without cohabitation
• Incompatibility, unless denied by either party
However, whether or not the the court grants the divorce for “fault” or not, in Ohio the party not at “fault” will not get a bigger slice of the marital property.