| Trademark Lawsuit from the General Conference Corporation (GCC) |
All donations that are still submitted at this time will go toward paying off our outstanding lawsuit expenses.
Please give as generously as you are able:
Donate via Paypal or Debit Card or Credit Card:
Send money via Zelle using your bank's app or website: info@freesda.org
Mail-in Donations should be sent to:
International Assoc. of Free SDA
1340 Old Victron School Road
Hoschton, GA 0548-3431
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IT IS FINISHED!!! Early in October 2023, a little over a year from the time the IAFSDA received notice of the GCC lawsuit, the dispute between the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and the International Association of Free Seventh-day Adventists was settled to the mutual satisfaction of the Parties. We thank God for this development. We also thank Him for our legal team and their expertise. We thank all of you who have contributed in a big or small way, whether through prayers or financial support. And we are thankful that we can move on and direct our time and resources to the advancement of God's work through the International Association of Free Seventh-day Adventists.
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Judge rules on motions to disqualify attorneys: On June 27, 2023, the judge presiding over the trademark case that the GCC brought against the IAFSDA, DENIED the GCC's motions for Adventist Risk Management to intervene and to disqualify our attorneys! Praise the Lord! Note that this does not mean that this is the end of this lawsuit, but it certainly means we can continue to move forward with the help of the Lord and the attorneys of our choice. Pray for us as we move forward with this case.
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Judge's hearing on the motions: The hearing scheduled for June 20, 2023, did take place, and the judge is now taking some time to consider the case. Please ask God for wisdom for all concerned and for the right outcome for God's people.
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Hearing to Disqualify Our Attorneys: On June 20, 2023, at 2 p.m. Central Time, the judge will have a hearing with our attorney and the GCC attorney regarding the motion to disqualify our attorneys. It was previously scheduled for June 15, 2023, but was rescheduled due to GCC attorney scheduling conflict.
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GCC Lawsuit for $350 Million—Interestingly, while the GCC is suing the IAFSDA, it (the GCC) is also being sued for certain improprieties. On April 25, 2023 a lawsuit was filed against the GCC for its alledged involvement in a ponzi scheme that defrauded thousands of American Haitian SDAs. It is a class action lawsuit against the GCC, Ted Wilson, a number of SDA churches, and others, for $350 Million dollars. You can read about it here.
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IAFSDA response to GCC motion—May 5, 2023 the IAFSDA filed its response to the GCC motion for Adventist Risk Management to intervene to disqualify our attorneys. The GCC's motion was vigorously opposed. You may read our response here.
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GCC motion to disqualify IAFSDA attorneys—In April the GCC filed a motion to seek the approval of the court for Adventist Risk Management to get involved in the case with the purpose to disqualify IAFSDA's attorneys. You may read the filing here.
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GCC response to IAFSDA Counterclaims—April 24, 2023: The GCC filed its answer to the IAFSDA's counterclaims. Click here to read the filing. Please continue to pray for this case and for our attorneys.
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IAFSDA Counterclaims to GCC lawsuit—April 3, 2023 the IAFSDA’s attorneys filed an amendment to our initial response to the General Conference Corporation’s (GCC’s) lawsuit by adding Counterclaims against the GCC, seeking to cancel its trademarks for “Seventh-day Adventist” and “Adventist” because, among other things, they were obtained fraudulently. You may read or download a copy of the IAFSDA Counterclaims here. We ask all to pray earnestly about this lawsuit, and please continue to send in your support to pursue this case onto victory.
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GCC reveals intentions to try disqalify IAFSDA attorneys—March 22, 2023: We are sorry for the long delay in posting an update regarding the status of the GCC lawsuit. Since our last update, the GCC has advised that it will seek to disqualify our lawyers from representing our case. We intend to vigorously fight the GCC’s efforts to prevent our God-appointed attorneys and law firm from representing us in this lawsuit. This effort by the GCC was raised after we were already four months into the lawsuit, thus we were well on our way into the preliminary steps of the case; that is, pursuing discovery, beginning with depositions, etc. One has to wonder why the GCC is so motivated to remove our lawyers from this case. We will keep you posted if the GCC really goes ahead and files the motion.
We thank God that our attorneys will stand behind us in this matter. But I ask all to seek the Lord earnestly in prayer that the GCC will fail in their motion to the court to disqualify our attorneys. Know that this lawsuit can affect many more individuals and institutions than we may presently imagine, so it is vital that your prayers and your support continues in behalf of our attorneys for God’s intervention and blessings upon them. May God lead them and the IAFSDA unto total victory in the end.
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The deposition for the International Association is postponed; the date is yet to be determined.
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Jan. 26, 2023: Deposition for the International Association in Dallas, Texas, starting at 9 a.m. Central Time.
Deposistions for Fort Worth NW Free SDA Church scheduled for Jan. 16, 18, 19, and 25, 2023.
Please keep these depositions in prayer for the Lord to give wisdom to those who will be answering questions in defense of the case.
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Dec. 14, 2022: Answers submitted to the General Conference questions (interrogatories), along with a number of supporting documents, which is an important step in the process. The attorneys did a wonderful job in packaging the information!
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In September 2022, the Berean Church of Free Seventh-day Adventists and the International Association of Free Seventh-day Adventists were served a lawsuit from the General Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists in Silver Spring, Maryland. This was quite unexpected because the General Conference attorneys initially stated that we have common law rights and the authority to use the Free Seventh-day Adventist name. At that time they acknowledged that we go back to the early 1900s and have the right to use the Free Seventh-day Adventist name because we predate their trademarks of 1981. However, in this recent lawsuit to us, they now allege that we do not have the right to use the Free Seventh-day Adventist name.
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