Nondisclosure of Factional Fighting Leads Court To Vacate Approval of Satmar Property Transfer

In Matter of Congregation Yetev Lev D'Satmar Inc. v Congregation Machneh Rav Tov, (NY Sup Ct Ulster Co., Sept. 27, 2011), a New York trial court vacated an order it had entered last December approving transfer of 8 parcels of property by a Satmar (Hasidic Jewish) religious organization. New York's Religious Corporation Law requires court approval for such real estate transfers.  However, in applying for the court order, those purporting to represent the selling congregation failed to inform the court or the state Attorney General's office of a long-running battle among two factions over which has authority to control the Satmar congregation's board of directors, and thus which faction had authority to initially authorize the property transfer. The court said: "The initial application by the petitioner is the quintessence of non-disclosure, bordering on a fraudulent application before this Court." (See prior related posting.) [Thanks to Steven H. Sholk for the lead.]