In re: United Methodist Church Westview Heights, Inc. v. Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist…

Summary

The court granted mandamus petitions arising from 15 quiet-title actions and directed the trial courts to vacate orders dismissing the Conference's counterclaims for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction. It held that the counterclaims could be resolved under neutral principles of law because they relied on deeds, corporate documents, trust provisions, and other secular materials rather than requiring resolution of religious doctrine or ecclesiastical matters. The court also held that mandamus was appropriate because the jurisdictional issue affected only interlocutory dismissals of compulsory counterclaims and postponing review would substantially waste judicial and litigant resources.