From Ft. Worth-
The nearly 4-year-old property dispute between the two groups that claim to be the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth is heading to the Texas Supreme Court.
Justices agreed last week to hear oral arguments Oct. 16, the same day the state's highest civil court was already set to hear a similar case involving an Episcopal church in San Angelo.
A group headed by Bishop Jack Iker made a direct appeal to the Texas Supreme Court after losing its case in a Tarrant County civil court to maintain control of numerous properties, including the stately St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in downtown Fort Worth.
"Bishop Iker and our legal team are extremely pleased with this development, which brings us closer to a complete resolution of the lawsuits which began in April 2009," the group said in a statement posted on its website Friday.
Background
The dispute stems from the decision in 2008 by Iker and a majority of the 56 congregations in the Fort Worth diocese to leave the national church because of disagreements that included the ordination of a gay bishop.
Iker's group, which continues to call itself the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, allowed the parishes that voted to remain in the Episcopal Church to keep their assets. It took the rest of them, saying they were diocesan property under state law.
Read more here:
http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/09/04/4230156/texas-supreme-court-agrees-to.html#storylink=cpy
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