FLDS Church Asks Utah Supreme Court To Stay Proceedings In Trust Case

The FLDS Church on Monday filed a petition with the Utah Supreme Court asking it to stay all proceedings and orders by the lower court in the long-running case seeking to reform the Untied Effort Plan Trust. The Trust holds communal property in Hildale, Utah and Colorado City, Arizona that belonged to FLDS members. Yesterday's Salt Lake Tribune reports that the move came after trial judge Denise Lindberg sealed all filings relating to the future of the Trust and rejected the Church's efforts to intervene in the case. The Church, known for its belief in polygamy, says that the secular management of the trust under court jurisdiction makes it impossible for members to organize their lives in a communal "Holy United Order" as required by their religious teachings. (See prior related posting.)