January hearing set in St. Stanislaus suit against Greensfelder

A hearing is set on a move that would send a legal malpractice suit filed by a break-away Roman Catholic Church - St. Stanislaus Parish - against its former lawyers to Missouri.

St. Stanislaus is suing Greensfelder, Hemker, and Gale P.C. in connection with a dispute with the St. Louis Archdiocese in Missouri.

The hearing is set for 9 a.m. on Jan. 17, according to a Nov. 14 notice.

The hearing notice states that the defendant's motion to dismiss on the basis of forum non-conveniens is scheduled before Circuit Judge Lloyd Cueto.

The defendants point to the fact that no action related to the dispute took place in St. Clair County and that the only connection the plaintiffs can claim is that Greensfelder has a satellite office in the county.

The case is also set for a status conference at 9 a.m. on Feb. 13.

St. Stanislaus broke away from the archdiocese after a series of battles for control of the church and its property with then-St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke.

St. Stanislaus contends in the 2010 St. Clair County lawsuit that its former attorney with the Greensfelder firm used information he gained from his experience representing the church against his former clients on behalf of the archdiocese.

Thomas Keefe Jr. represents the plaintiffs.

Michael Nester represents the law firm.

The case is St. Clair case number 10-L-545.