U.S. Supeme Court Lets Stand Lower Court Ruling: Episcopal Church Owns The Falls Church Property

The Falls Church is still the property of the Episcopal Church, after the U.S. Supreme Court let stand earlier lower court rulings, according to The Washington Post.

In 2012 Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Randy Bellows sided with the Episcopal Church, citing Virginia real estate law. Bellows said the properties belong to the Episcopal Church. The Virginia Supreme Court last year agreed with Bellows, but said that $3 million worth of "church coffers" belongs to the congregation and not the church.

Some 3,000 members of the historic church, which was started in 1732 and is a landmark in the middle of the City of Falls Church, left it in 2006 to start their own flock, The Falls Church Anglican; they did not agree with liberal decisions made by the church. They've been worshipping, The Post said, at Bishop O'Connell High School in Arlington.

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