Friends,
A quick note to bring you up to speed on events as I bounce back from a breakthrough case of COVID-19. (That was a rough experience, but I am fully vaccinated, and as sick as I was, the vaccine probably saved my life. So please consider getting vaccinated if you haven’t done so already.)
Anyway, earlier today I filed my initial brief in the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in my lawsuit against the Episcopal Church and my former rector, Bob Malm. The brief focuses heavily on constitutional issues, as well as the failure of the defendants to deal with Bob Malm’s perjury, witness tampering, threats against me, and spoliation of evidence (concealing documents adverse to him).
Because I’m pro se — meaning I’m not represented by legal counsel — the brief only has to be informal.
The defendants in the case have time to file responses, and we’ll go from there.
In the event I don’t win, the next step is to request a hearing en banc with a circuit court panel. From there, it’s off to the US Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, there’s still plenty of litigation to go around. The lawsuits in Massachusetts are just getting started, and the Pennsylvania court hasn’t even ruled on preliminary objections from five months ago. So we will be in court at this point for a very long time. And I don’t plan to give up, least of all since the church decided to go after my late mother, even as she was dying.
Please know how deeply grateful I am for all your love, support and encouragement.
Stay safe!
Love,
Eric