The Civil Law Court at the Temple of Justice has denied a motion to dismiss filed by the Liberia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC-LAC), allowing a legal dispute with one of its member congregations to proceed.
The case centers on a petition for declaratory judgment brought by the Stephen Trowen Nagbe United Methodist Church, which challenges provisions in the denomination’s 2024 Book of Discipline. On Friday, Presiding Judge J. Boima Kontoe ruled that the congregation has legal standing to seek judicial protection, affirming its right to pursue the matter in court.
UMC-LAC, represented by Counsellors Emmanuel T. Reeves and Janniedel M. Haider, had argued that the Stephen Trowen Nagbe Church lacked independent legal status and therefore could not initiate legal action against its parent body. The Conference maintained that only it holds the authority to represent local churches under the denomination’s governing laws and incorporation statutes.
However, the respondent congregation, represented by Attorney Jeremiah Dugbo I., contended that it holds a “legally protected interest” under Liberia’s Associations Law.
The church cited constitutional guarantees and Liberian high Court precedents affirming its right to due process and protection from closure, deprivation of worship, or property seizure.
In his ruling, Judge Kontoe emphasized that Liberia’s Associations Law permits branches of non-profit corporations to assert collective legal interests. He further noted that UMC-LAC had previously recognized the Stephen Trowen Nagbe Church as a distinct entity in a separate lawsuit filed at the Monrovia City Court, thereby preventing it from now denying the congregation’s legal personality.
“The law and equity alike abhor such inconsistency, for no party should be permitted to approbate and reprobate before courts of justice,” Kontoe stated.
The court dismissed the motion to dismiss and upheld the congregation’s resistance. Legal counsel for UMC-LAC took exceptions to the ruling and announced plans to appeal.
