Jesson Church sues its pastor over land dispute

A corporation that owns a Presbyterian church known as the Jesson Church has sued its pastor for allegedly putting to his name the leasehold title of the land where their church is located.

Jesus’s Loving Touch Mission, owner of Jesson Church, sued Doo Song Yeo for breach of fiduciary duty and fraud.

The Mission, through counsel Stephen Nutting, asked the Superior Court to order Yeo to assign the property to the plaintiff.

As alternative, the plaintiff requested the court to declare that Yeo has usurped a corporate opportunity and the defendant be ordered to assign the title to the Mission.

The plaintiff demanded damages. It also moved for preliminary and permanent injunction enjoining Yeo from holding himself out as the pastor and minister of Jesson Church and from further interfering with the church’s activities.

Nutting said the court should remove the defendant as a director of the church and not allow him to serve as director for a period of not less than five years.

Nutting stated in the complaint that the Mission is a non-profit corporation and is operating a Presbyterian church known as the Jesson Church.

Nutting said the church was established on Oct. 27, 1988 on Saipan. He said the church was to be guided by a board of directors, who were to be elected by church members.

The lawyer said that on Feb. 1, 1990, the church leased a certain piece of property with corporate funds for a period of three years.

The church erected certain improvements on and to the property.

Nutting said that on Aug. 12, 2005, directors Kim Jin An and Bae Hee Koo issued a notice of meeting of the board of directors.

He said Yeo responded, stating he would not agree to the meeting because the annual membership meeting was set for Nov. 18, 2005.

Nutting said all directors, including Yeo, attended a meeting held on Aug. 19, 2005.

During that meeting, the directors discussed a resolution to direct Yeo to transfer the leasehold interest in the property to the church.

Nutting said the motion was passed and the defendant was given 30 days to transfer the leasehold interest back to the church before any further legal action would be taken.

Yeo failed to transfer the leasehold interest, the lawyer said, adding that the defendant even falsely represented to the members that directors Kim Jin An and Bae Hee Koo had submitted their resignation. (Ferdie de la Torre)