SPRINGFIELD (MA)
Iobserve
By Terence Hegarty
SPRINGFIELD – Questions from Hampden Superior Court Judge C. J. Moriarty regarding whether the Diocese of Springfield has the jurisdiction to have protesters removed from a closed Holyoke church dominated a 2 p.m. court proceeding Jan. 4.
However, Attorney John J. Egan, principal attorney for the diocese, argued before the judge that the case “has nothing to do with jurisdiction,” and asked Judge Moriarty to consider the diocese (as a corporation sole) as he would any other property owner. In that context, Egan said, Moriarty should only consider “whether or not the defendants are trespassing.”
“The question is, whether, under civil law, there are any rights to ownership,” Egan said.
Following an hour of hearing arguments from both Egan and attorneys Victor Anop and Peter Stasz, representing the Friends of Mater Dolorosa, Judge Moriarty adjourned the hearing, declaring that he would take the arguments “under advisement.”
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.