Judicial Council Decisions

Decisions: 801-900

801. Review of Bishop's Decision of Law in the Southwest Texas Conference on Whether a Person May Be Denied the Right to Lead and/or Participate in Activities and Programs of the Church in Accordance with Article 4 of the Constitution and ¶ 113 of the 1992 Discipline. (Remanded via Memorandum 791)

802. Review of Bishop's Decision of Law in the Peninsula-Delaware Conference Concerning the Constitutionality of "Mission Area Ministries" Adopted as a Part of a Resolution Entitled "A Call to Change."

803. Request for a Declaratory Decision by the California-Pacific Annual Conference to Determine If the Clergy Sexual Ethics Policy Adopted by That Conference Is In Accordance With the 1996 Discipline and Judicial Council Decision 736

804. Request from the California Pacific Annual Conference for a Declaratory Decision on the Meaning of "Expelled" in ¶ 2628,2 of the 1992 Discipline.

805. Review of Decision of Law of Bishop Bruce P. Blake on the Matter of Autonomy for Annual Conferences Within the Philippines Central Conference.

806. Review of Decisions of Law of Bishop William W. Morris in the Alabama-West Florida Annual Conference Relating to Financial Recompense of a Clergy Member Denied an Appointment as a Result of a Flawed Grievance Process.

807. Request from the South Carolina Annual Conference For a Declaratory Decision on Whether the Phrase "Full-Time and Part-Time Pastors" in Par. 322.10 (b) of the 1996 Discipline Means "Ordained Elders" Only or Does It Also Mean Deacons in Full Connection.

808. Review of Decision of Law of Bishop Susan M. Morrison in the Wyoming Annual Conference Relating to Annual Conference Policy to Discontinue Honoraria for Clergy Members of the Annual Conference.

809. Review of Rewritten Clergy Sexual Ethics Policy of the West Ohio Annual Conference.

810. Review of Decision of Law of Bishop Donald A. Ott Relating to Fair Process and Surrender of Ministerial Credentials

811. Request from the Minnesota Annual Conference for a Declaratory Decision on a Series of Questions Regarding the New Membership Provisions of the 1996 Discipline.

812. Review of Sexual Ethics Policy and Procedures of the North Georgia Annual Conference.

813. Review of Decision of Law of Bishop Neil L. Irons Relating to the Actions of the Central Pennsylvania Annual Conference in Defeating an Amendment to the Connectional Ministries Budget (Par.611 of the 1996 Discipline.).

814. Review of a Decision of Law of Bishop Robert E. Fannin Concerning the North Alabama Annual Conference's "Policy Statement and Procedures on Misconduct of a Sexual Nature

815. Request from the General Board of Discipleship for a Declamatory Decision on the Meaning of the Phrase "Or Other Equivalent Structure" in Par. 630 of the 1996 Discipline.

816. Review of Decisions of Law of Bishop Hae-Jong Kim in the North Central New York Annual Conference Related to Withdrawal of a Clergy Member Under Complaint.

817. Review of Decision of Law of Bishop Joe A. Wilson in the Central Texas Annual Conference Relating to Fair Process in Surrender of Clergy Credentials.

818. Review of Decision of Law of Bishop Kenneth L. Carder in the Memphis Annual Conference on the Legality of the Conference Practice Imposing a Cap on the Percentage of Change of Apportionments to the Local Church Which May Result in Less than 100% of the Conference Budget Being Apportioned to the Churches of the Conference.

819. Request from Alaska Missionary Conference for a Declaratory Decision on Qualifications for Lay Members of Annual Conference.

820. Review of Decision of Law of Bishop Joe A. Wilson in the Central Texas Conference Relating to Fair Process in Surrender of Clergy Credentials. (Deferred from October 1997)

821. Review of Decision of Law of Bishop S. Clifton Ives in the West Virginia Annual Conference on a Resolution on Partial-Birth Abortion.

822. Request from the North Carolina Annual Conference for a Declaratory Decision on Past Service Liability for Pastor’s Pensions and Apportionments

823. Review of Decision of Law by Bishop Marion Edwards in the North Carolina Annual Conference on the Authority of the North Carolina Annual Conference to Require a Master of Divinity Degree for Membership in Full Connection and Elder's Orders.

824. Request for a Declaratory Decision by the California-Pacific Annual Conference to Determine If the Clergy Sexual Ethics Policy Adopted by That Conference in Response to Decision 803 Is in Accordance with the 1996 Discipline and Judicial Council Decision 736

825. Request from the Norway Annual Conference for a Declaratory Decision on Whether an Annual Conference May Meet Every Other Year Rather than Annually.

826. Appeal From New England Conference Person on Trial and Appeal Procedures.

827. Request from the Kansas West Annual Conference for a Declaratory Decision as to the Constitutionality of the Conference Structure Adopted by the Kansas West Annual Conference at its 1997 Annual Conference Session.

828. Request from the General Council on Finance and Administration for Declaratory Decision on the Meaning of the Phrase "Any Official United Methodist Agency" in ¶ 807.5 of the 1996 Discipline in the Context of Who May Use the Official United Methodist Insigne.

829. Review of Decision of Law of Bishop Hae Jong Kim in the North Central New York Annual Conference Related to Withdrawal of a Clergy Member Under Complaint.

830. Review of Decisions of Law of Bishop Joel Martinez Relating to Discontinuance of a Probationary Member by Nebraska Annual Conference.

831. Review of Decision of Law by Bishop C. Joseph Sprague on the Legality of the Interim Plan of Mission and Ministry Adopted by the Northern Illinois Conference in Special Session on November 15, 1997.

832. Petition for Reconsideration of Decision 810

833. Request from the College of Bishops of the South Central Jurisdiction for a Declaratory Decision on Whether the Language "Ceremonies That Celebrate Homosexual Unions Shall Not Be Conducted by Our Ministers and Shall Not Be Conducted in Our Churches" in ¶ 65 of the 1996 Discipline Constitutes a Chargeable Offense under ¶ 2624. Request from the Illinois Great Rivers Annual Conference for a Declaratory Decision on Whether the Social Principles Are to Be Understood as Law for United Methodists and the Relationship Between the Social Principles and Chargeable Offense. Request from the North Alabama Annual Conference for a Declaratory Decision That All Homosexual Union Services Are Illegal under ¶ 15 of the 1996 Discipline. Request from the Nebraska Annual Conference for a Declaratory Decision on Whether the Performance of a Ceremony Celebrating a Homosexual Union or a Same-Sex Covenanting Ceremony by a United Methodist Pastor in a United Methodist Church Is a Violation of the Discipline And, Therefore, a Chargeable Offense under ¶ 2624 of the 1996 Discipline.

834. Request from Wisconsin Annual Conference on the Ruling of Bishop Sharon Zimmerman Rader on Whether the Annual Conference May Consider Enactment of a Resolution Prohibiting Homosexual Unions Which Would Have the Effect of Adding to the Discipline.

835. Review of Bishop's Decision of Law in the Louisiana Annual Conference on the Structure of the Annual Conference. Request from the Holston Annual Conference on the Constitutionality of the "Design for Ministry" Restructure Plan.

836. Request From the Minnesota Annual Conference for a Declaratory Decision on Whether ¶¶ 358.1b, 2623, and 2626.1 of the 1996 Discipline Violate the Constitution When They Define Judicial Process as Beginning Only with the Referral of a Complaint to the Committee on Investigation.

837. Review of Bishop's Decision of Law in the North Texas Annual Conference on the Legality of the Definition of "Self-Avowed Practicing Homosexual" Passed by a Clergy Session, During a Special Session of the North Texas Annual Conference.

838. Review of the Rewritten Sexual Ethics and Procedure Policy of the North Georgia Annual Conference.

839. Review of Minnesota Annual Conference Sexual Misconduct Policy. Review of the Policy on Sexual Ethics of the Kansas East Annual Conference. Request from the East Ohio Conference for a Declaratory Decision on the Constitutionality of the Sexual Ethics Policy Adopted by the Conference. Review of the Rewritten Sexual Harassment and Misconduct Policy of the North Alabama Annual Conference

840. Request From the East Ohio Annual Conference for a Declaratory Decision on the Constitutionality of the Racial Harassment Policy Adopted by the Conference.

841. Review of Bishop’s Decision of Law in the Florida Annual Conference Related to the Requirement That Candidates Must Have Completed One Fourth of Seminary Before January 1, 1997, to Qualify for Conference Relationship.

842. Review of Bishop’s Decision of Law in the Virginia Annual Conference on the Legality of Adding to the Qualifications for Lay Members of General Conference as Outlined in ¶ 34 of the 1996 Discipline.

843. Request From the General Board of Discipleship on Whether Under ¶ 508 of the 1996 Discipline Enabling Legislation May Be Enacted by a General Conference to Become Effective After the Ratification of a Constitutional Amendment Proposed by the Same General Conference.

844. Appeal of Bishop’s Decision of Law in the Northern Illinois Annual Conference Relating to the Applicability of ¶ 304.5 of the 1996 Discipline to Diaconal Ministers Making Transition to Permanent Deacons.

845. Request From the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference for a Declaratory Decision on the Constitutionality of the Sentence "Ceremonies That Celebrate Homosexual Unions Shall Not Be Conducted by Our Ministers and Shall Not Be Conducted in Our Churches." ¶ 65.C of the 1996 Discipline) Request From the California-Nevada Annual Conference for a Declaratory Decision on the Constitutionality of the Sentence "Ceremonies That Celebrate Homosexual Unions Shall Not Be Conducted by Our Ministers and Shall Not Be Conducted in Our Churches." ¶ 65.C of the 1996 Discipline)

846. Review of Bishop's Decisions of Law in the South Carolina Annual Conference Concerning Matters Related to the Process of Investigation of a Complaint Against a Clergy Member.

847. Review of Bishop's Decision of Law in the Northwest Texas Annual Conference Related to a Resolution Adopted by the Conference Entitled "A Call to Doctrinal Integrity."

848. Review of Bishop's Decision of Law in the Norway Annual Conference on the Legality of the Annual Conference Structure and Related Matters.

849. Review of Bishop's Decision of Law in the Northern Illinois Annual Conference Relating to Legality of a Special Clergy Session of the Annual Conference.

850. Request for Reconsideration of Decision 826.

851. Request for Reconsideration of Decision 830.

852. Appeal From the Decision of the Northeastern Jurisdictional Committee on Appeals That It Had No Jurisdiction to Hear an Appeal by a Former Probationary Member From the Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference.

853. Review of Bishop's Decisions of Law in the Northern Illinois Annual Conference On Removal of Descriptive References From Northern Illinois Annual Conference Churches and Official Organizations and On What Is Included in the Term "Official Bodies of the Church."

854. Review of the Amended Clergy Sexual Ethics Policy of the California-Pacific Annual Conference.

855. Review of Bishop’s Decision of Law in the Northern Illinois Conference Relating to Legality of a Special Clergy Session of the Annual Conference.

856. Request from the Tennessee Annual Conference for a Declaratory Decision on the Legality of the Portion of ¶ 2602 of the 1996 Discipline Which States "That a Member of the Council Whose Seventieth (70th) Birthday Precedes the First Day of the Regular Session of a General Conference Shall Be Released at the Close of That General Conference from Membership or Responsibility in the Council, Regardless of the Date of Expiration of Office."

857. Review of Bishop's Decision of Law in the California-Nevada Annual Conference Related to Inclusiveness in the Church.

858. Request from the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry for a Declaratory Decision on the Constitutionality and Application of 714.1 of the 1996 Discipline.

859. Petition for Reconsideration of Decision 848.

860. Petition for Reconsideration of Decision 843.

861. A Request from the Kansas East Annual Conference for a Declaratory Decision on the Constitutionality of the Amended Policy on Sexual Misconduct by Church Professionals and Policy on Sexual Misconduct by Lay Church Professionals.

862. Request from the North Carolina Annual Conference for a Declaratory Decision on Whether the Requirement That a Local Pastor Be Appointed to a Pastoral Charge (Par. 602 of the 1996 Discipline) by the Bishop to Become a Member of the Annual Conference Violates Section VI, Article II of the Constitution of The United Methodist Church.

863. Review of Bishop’s Decision of Law in the Northern Illinois Annual Conference Related to the Eligibility of a Clergy Member to Be a Delegate to the 2000 General Conference When That Clergy Member’s Suspension Following a Trial Is to Begin on July 1, 1999.

864. Review of Bishop's Ruling in the Western North Carolina Annual Conference on Whether the 1999 Session of the Annual Conference Is Bound by the Rules of Order and Procedure Adopted by a Previous Annual Conference Where the Rules Purport to Set Standing Rules for All Future Annual Conferences.

865. Review of Bishop=s Decision of Law in the Northern Illinois Annual Conference Related to a Resolution Entitled AOn Pastoral Ministry with Homosexual Persons.@

866. Review of Bishop=s Decision of Law in the Wisconsin Annual Conference on Whether Mandatory Conference-Wide Insurance Is Legal and Appropriate in Light of & 2532 of the 1996 Discipline.

867. Review of Bishop's Decision of Law in the West Michigan Annual Conference on Questions of Procedures and Law from a Clergy Member Placed on Administrative Leave.

868. Review of the Sexual Harassment Policy of the Minnesota Annual Conference.

869. Request from United Methodist Communications for a Declaratory Decision on Whether Par. 721 of the 1996 Discipline Applies to the Council of Bishops and Official Organizations of Annual Conferences.

870. Review of Bishop's Decision of Law in the Rocky Mountain Annual Conference Related to a Petition on Inclusiveness of the Church Presented for Adoption by the Annual Conference.

871. Review of Bishop's Decision of Law in the Northwest Texas Annual Conference Requiring Any Church Adopting an Identification Label to Reverse That Action.

872. Request From the Minnesota Annual Conference for a Declaratory Decision on the Constitutionality of Par. 2628.1(j).

873. Review of Bishop's Ruling of Law in the Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference on Whether the Conference Structure Is in Compliance with the 1996 Book of Discipline.

874. Review of Bishop's Ruling of Law on Whether the General Council on Finance Administration Should Stop All Funds (Salaries) Being Paid to Those United Methodist Bishops Who Voted in Favor of Providing University Benefits for Same-Sex Domestic Partners.

875. Request from the California-Pacific Annual Conference for a Declaratory Decision on the Meaning, Application and Effect of the Amendment to the Constitution Ratified in 1997 Which Says "The Ordained Ministerial Delegates to the General Conference and to the Jurisdictional or Central Conferences Shall Be Elected by and from the Ordained Ministerial Members in Full Connection with the Annual Conference or Provisional Annual Conference."

876. Request from the California-Pacific Annual Conference for a Declaratory Decision on Whether It Is Legal under the 1996 Discipline for an Annual Conference to Use the "Discernment" Model for Decision-Making.

877. Request from The South Carolina Annual Conference For A Declaratory Decision On Whether The Language of Par. 323 of the 1996 Discipline Conflicts With The Language of Par. 335.1 (d) And Whether These Paragraphs Are Applicable To The New Deacons in Full Connection As Well As To Elders in Full Connection.

878. Review of Structure of Louisiana Annual Conference.

879. Review of Bishop's Decision of Law in the Rocky Mountain Annual Conference on Legality of Conference Board of Stewards.

880. Petition for Reconsideration of Decision 852.

881. Petition for Reconsideration of Decision 858.

882. Review of the Rewritten Policy on Sexual Misconduct by Church Professionals of the North Alabama Annual Conference.

883. Request from the Coordinating Council of the Philippines Central Conference As To Whether Delegates to the Central Conference Must Be Elected by a Simple Majority or May They Be Elected by a Simple Plurality.

884. Request from the General Conference Committee on Correlation and Editorial Revision for a Declaratory Decision on Petitions Relating to Paragraphs 215, 222.1-5, 227.2, 231.1 and .2 of the 1996 Discipline Which Have Been Declared Unconstitutional.

885. Request from the General Conference Committee on Correlation and Revision for a Declaratory Decision Relating to Petitions Before the General Conference Which Use the Language "Professing Membership."

886. Declaratory Decision Regarding Authority of an Annual Conference to Take Actions That Are Unconstitutional or Violate Provisions of the Discipline.

887. Request From the General and Judicial Administration Legislative Committee of the 2000 General Conference for a Declaratory Decision on Whether Lay Persons on the Committee on Investigation Have Voting Rights and Parity With Clergy Members Under Pars. 31, 18, and 56 or Any Other Provision of the Constitution.

888. Request From General Conference for a Declaratory Decision on the Meaning, Application and Effect of the Adoption of Petition #31789 as It Relates to the Election of a Person to the Judicial Council to Fill the Remaining Four Years of an Existing Eight Year Term.

889. Request from the General Conference for a Declaratory Decision as to Whether a Vote Taken by General Conference on a Legislative Petition is Valid if Only a Portion of That Petition Has Been Printed in the Daily Christian Advocate Advanced Edition and in the Daily Christian Advocate.

890. Request from 2000 General Conference for a Declaratory Decision on the Constitutionality of Petition #31143-DI-273-D as Amended by a Legislative Committee for Consideration by the General Conference Relating to Certified Lay Assistant

891. Petition from the 2000 General Conference Regarding the Constitutionality of Petition #30958-FA-823-D Adopted on May 11, 2000 ,Which Provides that the Salary of a Newly-Elected Bishop Begins at the Time of Consecration as a Bishop.

892. Request From the South Carolina Annual Conference for a Declaratory Decision on the Constitutionality, Meaning, Application and Effect of ¶ 406.1 of the 1996 Discipline as It Relates to the Current Practice of Nominating Candidates for the Episcopacy

893. Review of Bishop's Decision of Law in the Northern Illinois Annual Conference Related to the "New Model" for the Structure of the Annual Conference and its Conformity with the 1996 Discipline.

894. Review of Bishop's Decision of Law in Northern Illinois Annual Conference on Whether Establishment of an Implementation Task Force for the "New Model" of Conference Structure Is in Conformity with the 1996 Discipline.

895. Review of Bishop's Decision of Law in the Western New York Annual Conference on Whether a Local Pastor Who is Currently Enrolled in a Seminary Should Be Listed by the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry as a Student Local Pastor or a Part Time Local Pastor.

896. Request from the Kansas East Annual Conference for a Declaratory Decision on Whether Its Sexual Ethics Policies Conform to the Constitution, Discipline, and Decisions of the Judicial Council.

897. Review of Bishop’s Decision of Law in the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference on Whether a Motion Entitled “Affirmation of the Goodness of Human Sexuality” Could Be Adopted in Light of the 1996 Discipline and Judicial Council Decision 886.

898. Appeal of Bishop’s Decision of Law in the Iowa Annual Conference Ruling Out of Order a Motion to Amend the Rules of Order of the Annual Conference.

899. Constitutionality, Meaning, Application, or Effect of ¶ 720 of the 1996 Discipline.

900. Consideration of the Amended Structure of the Louisiana Annual Conference as Required by Decision 878.

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