United Methodist Church Can Continue Legal Battle over SMU Split, Texas Supreme Court Rules

High court: UMC can sue for control of Southern Methodist University

The highest court in Texas handed a significant win to United Methodist efforts to maintain strong ties with Southern Methodist University. In a mostly unanimous opinion released June 27, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that the denomination’s South Central Jurisdictional Conference can advance its lawsuit to retain some governance of the Dallas university with “Methodist” in its name.

Texas high court allows Methodist Church to fight SMU split

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United Methodist Church wants control over this Texas university

High Court: Church Can Sue for SMU Control

The United Methodist jurisdictional conference sued the university in 2019 after the university’s board moved to gain independence from the conference and, by extension, the denomination.

Texas Supreme Court says UMC can sue Southern Methodist University over attempt to leave denomination

The Texas Supreme Court has ruled The United Methodist Church can sue Southern Methodist University over its effort to leave the denomination.

United Methodist Church can fight to prevent split with SMU, Texas Supreme Court rules

By Jessica Priest, The Texas Tribune June 27, 2025 “United Methodist Church can fight to prevent split with SMU, Texas Supreme Court rules” was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential …