Decision Number 846

Decision

When a request for a declaratory decision is presented as a request for an episcopal decision of law the bishop may rule that the request is moot and hypothetical.

The Church does not have a right to an appeal when a judicial matter does not go to trial.

Conditions under which an involuntary leave of absence is imposed must be satisfied before a pastor is permitted to come off leave of absence.

A bishop is not required to respond to requests for decisions of law that are improper, but must rule that the questions are improper.

There is no conflict between ¶ 2626.6e and ¶ 2626.6b nor between ¶ 2626.6e and ¶ 2623.3b.

A bishop is not required to respond to a declaratory statement when improperly posed as a request for an episcopal decision of law, but must state that it is an improperly posed question.

The decisions of the bishop are affirmed with the exceptions that no response is required to an improperly posed question of law other than that it is an improper question, and a bishop is not required to respond to a declaratory statement posed as a request for an episcopal decision of law except to state that the statement is not a proper question of law.