Florida District Courts of Appeal, 1987

Archdiocese of Miami v. Sama

Archdiocese of Miami v. Sama
Florida District Courts of Appeal · Decided December 8, 1987 · Baskin, Pearson, Schwartz
519 So. 2d 28; 12 Fla. L. Weekly 2757; 1987 Fla. App. LEXIS 11426; 1987 WL 2284 (Southern Reporter, Second Series)

Archdiocese of Miami v. Sama

Opinion of the Court

PER CURIAM.

Courts are prohibited from resolving church property disputes on the basis of religious doctrine,” Galich v. Catholic Bishop of Chicago, 75 Ill.App.3d 538, 31 IJLDec. 370, 394 N.E.2d 572 (1979); see Graffam v. Wray, 437 A.2d 627, 633 (Me. 1981), when, as here, the underlying controversy concerns religious doctrine and only incidentally affects other matters. We therefore conclude that the petitioners have affirmatively demonstrated a lack of jurisdiction in the lower court. English v. McCrary, 348 So.2d 293 (Fla. 1977). We are certain that it will not be necessary to issue a formal judgment in prohibition.

Prohibition granted.

Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.