Review of the ecclesiastical court judgments during July 2019

This first part round-up of the July consistory court judgments includes determinations on:

• Reordering, extensions & other building works
• Audio Visual Equipment

The second part will review judgments on:

• Exhumation
• Churchyards and burials
• Organs

It will also include a summary of recent CDM Tribunal judgment in relation to The Revd Canon Cameron Butland which was reviewed in a separate post.

Part 1 judgments

The judgment Re All Saints Hooton Pagnell is from 2017, but was only received/circulated by the Ecclesiastical Law Association at the beginning of the month; a short summary has been included and also a link to the full 20-page judgment and orders. No new points of law arise, but is notable with regard to the PCC’s and DCC’s unwillingness to engage in the legislative process of the Church of England. Sympathies go to Sheffield diocesan officials involved and to Chancellor Singleton, who commented on the conduct of the petitioners at [18], [22] and [23]. There were also some unsatisfactory procedural elements in the cases of Re St. Michael & All Angels Berwick and  Re St. Anne Aigburth. Continue reading →