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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MARYLAND

JANE HOLMES DIXON Plaintiff v. SAMUEL L. EDWARDS and THE VESTRY OF ST. JOHN'S PARISH Defendants

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Civil No. PJM 01-1838

ORDER
The Court having heard argument on the Motions of Defendants Father Samuel L. Edwards and the Vestry of St. John's Parish to Dismiss this action and the Motions for Summary Judgment and Preliminary Injunction filed by Plaintiff Jane Holmes Dixon, it is, for the reasons set forth in the accompanying Opinion, this 29th day of October, 2001 ADJUDGED, ORDERED and DECREED as follows: 1) Bishop Jane GRANTED; Holmes Dixon's Motion for Summary Judgment is

1

2)

Bishop Dixon or her delegate has a right to be present in the buildings and on the grounds of St. John's Parish in Accokeek, Maryland and to perform her duties as Bishop and Rector Ex Officio there, and her actions on May 27, 2001 did not, and similar future actions by her or her delegate, will not, constitute trespass;

3)

Bishop Dixon has the right to preside at meetings of the Vestry and Parish of St. John's;

4)

The purported contract between the Vestry of St. John's Parish and Father Edwards engaging him as Rector of the St. John's Parish is invalid, null and void, unenforceable and without effect;

5)

The acts of the Vestry of St. John's Parish in contracting with Father Edwards to be and holding him out as rector of the Parish and in preventing Bishop Dixon from presiding at vestry meetings and

performing other acts as Rector Ex Officio are ultra vires and of no force and effect; 6) Under Maryland Vestry Act, 1976 Laws of Md. Ch. 96,

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