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The purpose of the Court of Equity is to handle disputes between an individual or group and a church administrator or administrative body. Grievances must contend that a right, recognized by the Church, has been harmed through an administrative act, decision, or failure to act. Cases involving criminal penalties, marital status, the removal of pastors, the validity of the sacraments, the internal affairs of religious orders, or matters otherwise reserved to other ecclesiastical processes in the Church may not be heard. Administrative acts of bishops are not subject to the court's authority.
No case is considered until it has been demonstrated that all reasonable efforts at conciliation have failed, and all appropriate administrative remedies have been exhausted. This means that first an individual must go through the normal hierarchical process and within that process, request to have the action in question rescinded or modified. If this initial effort is unsuccessful, in most cases an attempt will have to be made to mediate or conciliate the dispute through the appropriate office, whether that be the Office for Parish and School Personnel, the Clergy Personnel Office, or the Due Process Office.
Examples of cases that might be appropriate would be:
employment disputes between an individual and a parish
disputes between two parishes
disputes between a pastor and a parish council
This list is not meant to be exhaustive. The goal of this project is to further local efforts to provide justice to those who feel wronged by an institution of the Church, without making them go outside of the Church for a resolution.
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