JEFFERSON CITY — The Missouri Supreme Court denied the Missouri Baptist Convention’s request to rehear its case against Windermere Baptist Conference Center on May 5. The convention has now exhausted its options to overturn Cole County Judge Richard Callahan’s March 4, 2008, ruling in favor of Windermere.
The judge ruled that Windermere’s trustees acted legally when they amended the conference center’s articles of incorporation in 2001 to allow them to elect their own trustees. The convention filed suit against Windermere and four other Missouri Baptist entities on Aug. 13, 2002.
The Western District Court of Appeals in Kansas City upheld Callahan’s Windermere decision in a unanimous ruling by a three-judge panel on Feb. 2. Later, the appeals court turned down a request by MBC attorneys to rehear the case or order it transferred to the state Supreme Court.
Convention attorneys took their appeal directly to the Supreme Court on April 13, only to be turned down on May 5.
The court cases against the other four entities, who amended their articles of incorporation in 2000 and 2001, have yet to be scheduled by Judge Callahan. Those four institutions are Word&Way, the Missouri Baptist Foundation, The Baptist Home and Missouri Baptist University.
(This story will be updated.)