UMCSC asks S.C. Supreme Court to assign all disaffiliation cases to single judge
By Jessica Brodie
Attorneys for the South Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church filed a motion March 5 asking the South Carolina Supreme Court to assign all cases regarding the conference and separating churches to a single trial judge.
The conference noted in the motion that it “is likely that up to 42 individual lawsuits will be pending around the state that all center on the key legal issues of church corporate identity and ownership of the local church property at issue.”
In its exhibit, the conference stated that from late November 2024 until the date of their motion, the conference has received Notices of Separation from 40 local United Methodist churches located in many parts of the state purporting to separate from the conference and denomination. It added these churches had filed with the secretary f state nonprofit corporation articles of amendment and changes of registered agent, which attorneys said “leaves the conference no choice but to proceed with litigation.”
In asking the state supreme court to assign the matters to one trial court judge, the conference noted the legal issues are likely to be identical or substantially similar across all actions, and that given the volume of actions and the almost statewide reach of the churches and property at issue, there is a heightened risk that trial court rulings may not be uniform. Assigning the matters to one judge would also “conserve and streamline the resources of the parties and counsel” and “promote judicial economy and efficiency.”
The motion listed the churches who have filed Notices of Separation as follows:
Aldersgate UMC, Greenwood (Greenwood County)
Andrews Chapel UMC (Clarendon County)
Bellinger Chapel UMC (Allendale County)
Bethel UMC, Bethune (Kershaw County)
Beulah UMC (Calhoun County)
Bogansville UMC (Union County)
Boiling Springs UMC (Lexington County)
Brunson UMC (Hampton County)
Calhoun Falls UMC (Abbeville County)
Camp Swamp UMC (Horry County)
Canaan UMC (Cherokee County)
Ebenezer UMC (Abbeville County)
Emma Gray Memorial UMC (Spartanburg County)
Eutawville UMC (Orangeburg County)
Folly Beach UMC (Charleston County)
Fort Lawn UMC (Chester County)
Good Shepherd UMC - Lancaster (Lancaster County)
Gordon Memorial UMC (Fairfield County)
Grace UMC, Pickens (Pickens County)
Hardeeville UMC (Jasper County)
Jackson Grove UMC (Greenville County)
Jefferson UMC (Chesterfield County)
Livingston UMC (Orangeburg County)
Lupo Memorial UMC (Greenwood County)
Montgomery Memorial UMC (Spartanburg County)
Monticello UMC (Fairfield County)
Panola UMC (Greenwood County)
Pleasant Hill UMC (Bamberg County)
Providence UMC, Holly Hill Orangeburg County)
Rehoboth UMC, Greenwood (Greenwood County)
Republican UMC, McCormick (McCormick County)
St. James UMC, Laurens (Laurens County)
St. Paul UMC, Florence (Florence County)
Swallow Savannah UMC (Allendale County)
Trinity UMC, Bamberg (Bamberg County)
Trinity UMC, Lancaster (Lancaster County)
Trinity UMC, Laurens (Laurens County)
Union UMC, Cope (Orangeburg County)
Wesley Memorial UMC (Charleston County)
Zion UMC, Dorchester (Dorchester County)
Zion UMC, Lancaster (Lancaster County)
The motion was filed as part of a lawsuit filed by the conference Nov. 5 in Greenville County Common Pleas Courts, suing The Methodist Church of Simpsonville, et al., alleging fraudulent deed filing and unlawful occupation of the church parsonage and property owned by the UMC, among other things
The conference’s motion for one trial judge came after defendants filed a motion in December to dismiss the case.
Defendants then joined with nine other churches wishing to leave the UMC but keep their property, filing a lawsuit in the South Carolina Supreme Court April 14 (The Methodist Church of Simpsonville, et al. v. The South Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, et al.). Read that article at https://advocatesc.org/articles/churches-sue.