Supreme Court Declines to Hear Church’s Property Appeal
Richmond senior counsel George Somerville was mentioned in a March 10 Law360 article – “ Supreme Court Declines to Hear Church’s Property Appeal” – about the U.S. Supreme Court stating that it would not hear a First Amendment-related property dispute between a Virginia church (The Falls Church Anglican) and its former Diocese (the Protestant Episcopal Church of Virginia). In doing so, the Supreme Court leaves in place a lower court ruling that stated the Diocese owns the church’s property. The Falls Church Anglican broke from the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States in 2006.
George, Richmond partner Brad Davenport, and Tysons Corner partner Mary Zinsner represented the Diocese in the legal proceedings, along with former Richmond associate Josh Heslinga. The late Russ Palmore, a Richmond partner, was the Chancellor (the chief legal officer) of the Diocese, and Richmond Office Administrator Henry Burt was the Secretary of the Diocese. Both also were key members of the firm’s legal team.