Preliminary Objections Sustained on Breach of Contract/Breach of Fiduciary Duty Lawsuit in Bucks County Court of Common Pleas – Partner Christopher Tinari and Associate Emily Mahler Prevail on Preliminary Objections to Complaint

Philadelphia partner Christopher Tinari and Associates Emily Mahler prevailed on preliminary objections to Plaintiffs’ Complaint in action brought by Church’s former pastors against the Church and its board of directors in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Plaintiffs alleged they were unlawfully excommunicated from the church and removed as pastors in violation of the Church’s governing bylaws. The Court sustained our client’s preliminary objections, which argued that the Court lacked subject matter jurisdiction where a review of the claims would result in an improper entanglement of the court into an issue of church doctrine in violation of the First Amendment, and dismissed Plaintiff’s claims their entirety, with prejudice. Plaintiff’s subsequent attempts to assert identical claims in an Amended Complaint were further denied by the Court.