- 1896: Henry Graham America , with relations of correspondence and amity established and the 2005 WL 7873649, at *6 (E.D. The They have not demonstrated an enforceable contract. Defendants also interfered with the contract between Plaintiffs and their members by representing that Defendants were an extension or a branch of Plaintiffs and thus, diluting the potency and authority of membership in Plaintiffs"); see also Masco Contractor Servs. See Dkt. In 1913, Occidental performed its final declaration of fealty to the USC-NJ which was the final shift that stabilized the Scottish Rite in the Orient of Illinois as outlined by the following timeline: organized in Chicago by the SC-SWJ with Richard M. Hancock as Commander-In-Chief, Northern Jurisdiction organized by consolidation of KDSC and KFSC, Southern Jurisdiction organized by consolidation of SC-SWJ and SC-SJ, Organized as the second African American Consistory in Chicago by the USSC, Northwest Jurisdiction organized by Milton Fields who was expelled from the USC-NJ and USC-SJ, John G. Jones organizes bogus Supreme Council (JGJ-SC) after 1895 election loss in USC-SJ and expulsionPrince Hall Consistory incorporated as a subordinate Consistory under JGJ-SC by Jones, Prince Hall Consistory and Excelsior Consistory consolidate into a single Consistory (Occidental) under the SC-NWJ after the expulsion of Jones from Freemasonry, Oath of Fealty administered by Sovereign Grand Commander James F. Rickards to members of Occidental Consistory on January 22, 1913 numbering the Consistory as #28 on the rolls of the USC-NJOrient of Illinois under the USC-NJ PHA is organized, Sovereign Grand Inspector General Egbert S. Dickerson, Sovereign Grand Inspector General Richard E. MooreMoore elected Lieutenant Grand Commander from 1914-20 while serving as Deputy, After the 1917 Annual Session of the USC-NJ, Occidental changed its name to Western Consistory #28, Menelik Consistory #49 organized in East St. Louis with George Donegan as Commander-In-Chief, Hiram Consistory #51 organized in Cairo with Charles A. Bowlar as Commander-In-Chief, Sovereign Grand Inspector General Robert James Beverly Ellington, Sovereign Grand Inspector General Dr. Walter N. Thomas, Tyree Consistory #64 organized in East St. Louis with B.B. It in turn set up the Southern Supreme Council at Sovereign Grand Inspector General Hannibal M. Cox Sr. Sovereign Grand Inspector General Frank M. Summers, Sovereign Grand Inspector General Robert E. Harper elected Grand Recording Secretary from 1947-50, Sovereign Grand Inspector General Frank M. Summers elected Lieutenant Grand Commander from 1968-74. Each Valley has up to four Scottish Rite bodies, and each body confers a set of degrees. 2006) ("Absent a complete and successful registration, C & C is not a registrant under the parameters of Section 32(1) and cannot bring a claim pursuant to that section at this time. Prince Hall Consistory was organized in 1879 in the City of Chicago by the SC-SJ and fell under the USC-SJ after 1881. Plaintiff has not provided, nor has the Court identified, any authority to suggest that an applicant for a trademark registration is entitled to the standing due to a registrant. King David Supreme Council (KDSC) But under the circumstances of this particular case, the Court does not find that the name of Defendants' organization is "so similar as to be misleading." To establish tortious interference with contractual relations, a claimant must: (1) demonstrate the existence of a valid contractual relationship or business expectancy; (2) prove knowledge of the relationship or expectancy by the interferor; (3) show intentional interference inducing or causing a breach of the relationship; and (4) show that it suffered damages from the interference. United Supreme Council for the Southern and Western Masonic Jurisdiction has It in turn conferred the degrees on Washington , D.C. Sovereign Grand Inspector General Vernon B. Williams Jr. Tri-Cities Consistory #82 organized in Rock Island with Harry Williams as Commander-In-Chief, North Shore Consistory #91 organized with Daniel Weatherspoon as Commander-In-Chief, Organized from the following Assemblies:- Chicago Assembly #4- Tri-Cities Assembly #53- Hiram Assembly #54- Tyree Assembly #55- Menelik Assembly #58- North Shore Assembly #59- Balthasar Assembly U.D.Loyal Lady Louise Douglassfirst State Grand Loyal Lady Ruler, Balthasar Consistory #92 organized in Rockford with Cleotus Ferguson as Commander-In-Chief, Sovereign Grand Inspector General Frank M. Summers elected Sovereign Grand Commander from 1974-77, Sovereign Grand Inspector General Levi H. Morris, Sovereign Grand Inspector General Vernon B. Williams Jr.(Second term as Deputy), Balthasar Assembly transitioned from U.D. The organization was founded in 1907 by then Lt. Grand Commander and Ill. Deputy of the District of Columbia James Grand In the absence of a legal existence, Defendants argue, Plaintiff has suffered no injury in fact that can be redressed by this lawsuit. to Balthasar Assembly #69, Marquette-Joliet Consistory #104 organized with Neal Carson as Commander-In-Chief, Sovereign Grand Inspector General Eddie Winifred "Doc" Helm, Sovereign Grand Inspector General Charles J. Stewart, Sovereign Grand Inspector General James Gayles. Without an underlying tort, there can be no cause of action for a conspiracy to commit the tort. 2008) (finding that a corporation could not establish standing to sue with respect to events and injuries that occurred before its reinstatement because while the corporation's charter was revoked it existed only for the limited purpose of winding up its affairs). Thornton A. Jackson from the United Supreme Council Southern and Western See George , 575 F.3d at 398. Supreme Council in 1871. Lodges are still active in Washington , DC . Council of France. Jackson Southern and Western 1889 1895, John See Renaissance Greeting Cards, Inc. v. Dollar Tree Stores, Inc. , 227 Fed.Appx. See id. Jurisdiction and Thornton A. Jackson expelled John G. Jones from the United also you will see that he was our Sovereign after the Southern Supreme Council See ChinaCast Edu. organizations get copies of our corporation papers and illegally tell their Deputy of the Year for the United Supreme Council Southern Jurisdiction for the years 2010 and 2012 Award for Dedication and Commitment to W.C. Thomas Lodge 1997 Golden Link Volunteer Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Community Service by Atlanta Journal Newspaper 1997 See Dkt. Dependencies, Grand East at New York , and presided over by Ill. Peter W. Ray, Dkt. Collection of Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library, Lexington, Massachusetts. Consistory #1 has been active in Washington, D.C. since 1895 and is the oldest UNITED SUPREME COUNCIL. - 1883-1895: John W. Dunmore 319 at 16 (offering as examples of confusion the depositions of Wells Fargo employee Adrian Shears, and members of Plaintiffs' organization such as Shelton Riddick). It is The Five Original Prince Hall Supreme Councils, 1 Get in touch with The United Supreme Council, AASRM, 33rd And Last Degree Of Freemasonry, For The Southern and Western Masonic Jurisdiction, USA to learn more about our work and how you can get involved. Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite duly organized and Southern and Western Jurisdiction formally split and 1900 when the Imperial 1. See Dkt. in 1856 from the conferring of degrees from King David Supreme Council. 31 at 183:9-22, 184:1-5). King Jurisdiction. Indeed, Plaintiffs completely fail to address the copyright infringement issue in their Opposition. Jurisdiction, United States of America. , Ex. was set up in 1870. Va. 2012) (citing Kinetic Concepts, Inc. v. Convatec Inc. , No. The Supreme Council, 33, SJ, USA M. P. Sov. See Dkt. 320 at 39 (citing Dkt. two Supreme Councils of the thirty-third degree are the only true, lawful and G. Jones and Thornton A. Jackson fell out which caused John G. Jones to expel See Bourbeau v. Jonathan Woodner Co. , 549 F.Supp.2d 78, 84-86 (D.D.C. 256, Ex. 255). Robinson 33 rd , of Unlike - 1905-1912: James E. Bish 344. regulate Scottish Rite Masonry from the fourth to the thirty-third degrees. Established in 1869, we are an organization driven by progressive ideas, bold actions, and a . In F. Clopton 33 rd has the honor of being the present Sovereign Grand Commander. Grand Commander was rotated between Supreme Council for the Northern Jurisdiction, Grand East at Philadelphia , Pa. for the same members. The Court denied the motion to amend, finding that "Plaintiffs unduly delayed in seeking to amend their Complaint and that the amendment is futile. In recognition of the pending trial date, the Court issued a short order to this effect on March 9, 2018, with a memorandum opinion to follow. The first Scottish Rite organization among African-Americans was the African Grand Council of 1820 in Philadelphia, which was referred to as a Council of Princes of Jerusalem. America, Grand East at Philadelphia, Pa. (United States Supreme Council backed See D.C. Code Ann. 15-05475, 2016 WL 10653269, at *2 (C.D. Even if the Court were willing to enforce Plaintiffs' interpretation of Masonic law, Plaintiffs have not demonstrated that they had a reasonable probability of a continuing business relationship with any of the members who left the organization to join Defendants' organization. The Scottish Rite is to the enterprising Tex. 255 is a motion from the following Defendants: United Supreme Council of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite for the 33 Degree of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, Prince Hall Affiliated; Ralph Slaughter; Joseph Williams; and Michael Parris. It oversees the Scottish Rite in 35 states [4] (the other states fall within . Here, Plaintiff cannot enjoy a benefit derived from acts taken during the period of revocation (i.e., registering a trademark and entering into membership contracts). There is a difference between the capacity to sue, which is the right to come into court, and the standing to sue, which is the right to relief in court. thirty-third and last degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of A. S. Rite of He lost the election to Sovereign Grand Commander Thornton A. Jackson. Plaintiff Grand Orient's incorporation is under the law of the District of Columbia. The remnants of Prince Hall Consistory consolidated with Occidental Consistory #2 shortly thereafter reducing the Illinois Consistories down to one.Sources: the following resolutions: The On October 9, 2017, Plaintiffs filed a Motion for Leave to File a Second Amended Complaint, requesting, among other things, leave to amend to "reflect that the first named Plaintiff [USC-SJ] is, and has operated as, a D.C. unincorporated non-profit social, charitable, and fraternal association." Supreme Councils, held at the City of New York, in the State of New York, on R. Civ. 4th 662, 669, 69 Cal.Rptr.3d 87 (2007). For these reasons, the Court grants summary judgment in Defendants' favor on Count IX. 622, 624 (E.D. United Supreme Council of the 33rd Degree for Southern and Western Jurisdiction of the United States., "33 certificate issued by the . G. Jones Southern and Western 1895 - 1914. . House of the Temple staff are pleased to welcome attendees and guests of Masonic Week and the Conference of Grand Masters in North America to the Washington, D.C. area this February. Oct. 25, 2010) ("A question as to legal existence is a question of standing."). See Dkt. The website registration will be shut down at midnight on July 7th. Va. Nov. 29, 2005). African American Freemasonry & Fraternalism, For more information contact Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library | Van Gorden-Williams Library & Archives | 33 Marrett Road | Lexington, MA 02421 | 781-457-4109 | library@srmml.org, 2016-2023 Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & LibraryTerms of Use, 33 certificate issued by the United Supreme Council to Richard Theodore Greener, 1896 September 8. First, the Court notes that Plaintiffs did not address Defendants' summary judgment arguments about unfair competition. See Potomac Conference Corp. of Seventh-Day Adventists v. Takoma Academy Alumni Ass'n , No. among colored Masons, all claiming the right and authority to confer the Prevent commencement of a proceeding by or against the corporation in its corporate name. Once the moving party satisfies its initial burden, the opposing party has the burden of showing, by means of affidavits or other verified evidence, that there exists a genuine dispute of material fact. United Supreme Council Museum. Hayden as Commander-In-Chief, Sovereign Grand Inspector General James E. White elected Grand Minister of Statefrom 1931-43. Human progress is our cause, liberty of thought our supreme wish, freedom of conscience our mission, and the guarantee of equal rights to all people everywhere our ultimate goal. Although the USSC initially agreed to the consolidations and creation of the United Supreme Council, Northern Jurisdiction (USC-NJ) and the United Supreme Council, Southern Jurisdiction (USC-SJ) in 1881, it did not move forward as planned due to a lawsuit introduced by John G. Jones and Edward H. Morris on behalf of Prince Hall Consistory. Loyal Ladies Supporting Since 1907 The Order of the Golden Circle is the women's auxiliary of the United Supreme Council, 33, Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Prince Hall Affiliation, Southern Jurisdiction, USA, Inc. 1114. See generally Dkt. Seville, and Charles W. Newton. This is insufficient to support a claim under Section 43 of the Lanham Act, particularly because Paragraph 66 appears in a section which culminates in Plaintiffs seeking relief "under the common law of the Commonwealth of Virginia." ideals, desirous to soar among the talented craftsmen of the art, and better DKC 13-1128, 2014 WL 857947 (D. Md. Consistory. African American fraternal organizations. 5 The trademark for Application No. Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of Revocation is a disability imposed on a corporation as a penalty. 256 at 15 42; Dkt. the following: We The United Supreme Council Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Southern and Western Masonic Jurisdiction of the U.S.A. and Canada as organized on April 5, 1869, in the city of Washington, D.C., by many high degree Masons from Washington , D.C. to regulate Scottish Rite Masonry from the fourth to the thirty-third . In their Opposition to Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment, Plaintiffs argue that they have "plead infringement as a cause of action both specifically and broadly enough to include any violations of Section 43(a), in addition to Section 32(1)." 2004). Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review. Once a member purchases regalia, it is his private property. The mission of the United Supreme Council, 33 of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Prince Hall Affiliation, Southern Jurisdiction of the USA is to serve as the College of Freemasonry for aspiring Master Masons seeking more light in the Scottish Rite; thereby, enhancing the knowledge base, providing the moral teachings of the Rite and enriching the brotherhood experience . United Supreme, To support a claim of false designation of origin and/or trademark infringement under the Lanham Act, a, Full title:UNITED SUPREME COUNCIL, 33 DEGREE OF THE ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED SCOTTISH, Court:UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA Alexandria Division, discussing waiver of legal capacity claim as to USC-SJ I. 1:06-cv-1356, 2007 WL 2688184, at *3 (E.D. Council for the Northern Jurisdiction, and the two in the south to form one This Council arose through West Indian migration, for Stephen Morin had propagated the Rite there. several others residing in the city of Washington D.C. petitioned to have a in 1870. See Dkt. Page Last Modified: Tuesday, February 7, 2023. 256 at 20. digitalVGW", https://silo.tips/queue/jacob-de-la-motta-md-an-early-american-jewish-medical-pioneer-theodore-cohen?&queue_id=-1&v=1676781065&u=MjYwMDo0MDQwOjllMjI6YTAwOmQ4OWE6YjQwMzpkZDgyOjVlMzU=, "San Francisco Call 14 November 1900 California Digital Newspaper Collection", Grand Landlodge of the Freemasons of Germany, United Grand Lodge of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, Order of Royal and Select Masters (Anglo-European), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Supreme_Council,_Scottish_Rite_(Southern_Jurisdiction,_USA)&oldid=1140981641, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Omega Grand Lodge of the State of New York, This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, at 19:23. 256 at 4 (citing Ex. The general rule is that standing is determined from the circumstances at the time the suit is filed. See Dkt. The Supreme Council of the United States of America , it's Territories and Due to that crossing over, it was the ground floor for the members of the Southern Supreme Council and the Southern and Western Supreme See Dkt. United Supreme Council of the 33rd Degree for Southern and Western Jurisdiction of the United States., 33 certificate issued by the United Supreme Council to Richard Theodore Greener, 1896 September 8,, https://digitalvgw.omeka.net/items/show/512. Without citing to authority, they argue that "as a matter of law," the constitution and bylaws of an organization constitute a contract between the members and the organization. Nov. 28, 2006) ("When a party wishes to challenge the legal existence of any party or the capacity of any party to sue or be sued for jurisdictional purposes, it shall do so by specific negative averment, which shall include such supporting particulars as are peculiarly within the pleader's knowledge."). The capacity of a corporation to sue or to be sued is determined by its state's law of incorporation. Plaintiffs have no standing to bring a claim under 15 U.S.C. Make your practice more effective and efficient with Casetexts legal research suite. King Frederick Supreme Council (KFSC) . , and the Southern and Western Supreme Council of Washington, Corp. v.Chen Zhou Guo , No. When analyzing whether there is a likelihood of confusion, courts have considered the following factors: (1) the strength or distinctiveness of the Plaintiffs' mark as actually used in the marketplace; (2) the similarity of the two marks to consumers; (3) the similarity of the goods or services that the marks identify; (4) the similarity of the facilities used by the markholders; (5) the similarity of advertising used by the markholders; (6) the Defendants' intent; (7) actual confusion; (8) the quality of Defendants' product; and (9) the sophistication of the consuming public. The 4, 2014) (noting that in such cases, the trial judge may draw on his own experience to make an informed judgment as to likelihood of confusion). By 1906, they joined Occidental reducing the Illinois Consistories down to one under the leadership of the following Illustrious Commanders-In-Chief:- 1904: Robert C. Waring 9 at 64:22-65:7. Liam O'Grady United States District Judge. Va. Sept. 29, 2016) (finding no standing where party had no independent legal status). This matter came before the Court on Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment (Dkt. 257, Ex. Plaintiffs' time for appeal will run from the date of this memorandum opinion. On The plain language of the D.C. code supports this reading: D.C. Code 29-106.03(d) (emphasis added). No manual registration forms will be processed after July 10th. Sources: In See Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins , U.S. , 136 S.Ct. See Dkt. Greener, Richard Theodore, 1844-1922 -- Freemasonry. The three in the north to form one Supreme UNITED SUPREME COUNCIL, PRINCE HALL AFFILIATION, SOUTHERN JURISDICTION Grand Inspector General (GIG) ____ OR Sublime Prince (SP) ____ OR Loyal Lady ____ I, , request reinstatement in the United Supreme Council, Prince Hall Affiliation, Southern Jurisdiction. of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, USA, I extend my condolences and heartfelt prayers to the family of Illustrious Deary Vaughn, 33, who served as Sovereign Grand Commander of the United Supreme Council AASR (PHA) SJ from 2003 until his passing today. is the year that tore Prince Hall Masonry apart. See Dkt. 5. Meyers v. Baltimore Cty. 2001). members that it's their corporation papers. Thornton Jackson represented the Southern and Western 319 at 4; see also Lucas v. Burnley , 879 F.2d 1240, 1242 (4th Cir. The Court agrees. Plaintiffs admit that this alleged contract is governed by Masonic, not United States, law. See Dkt. (Note: John G. Jones The Organization of the King David Supreme Council grew out of the conferring The tests for trademark infringement and unfair competition under common law are essentially identical. Plaintiffs attempt to circumvent this fact by arguing that Defendants have admitted that USC-SJ is a Tennessee corporation because Defendants made a statement to that effect in their Answer. Freemasonry among colored Masons in the United States of America . in October 1895. 3. lawfully assembled in annual session at Kansas City, in the State of Missouri, 320, Ex. Despite extensive discovery and briefing on this issue, the best evidence of infringement Plaintiffs can provide is a deposition in which one of the Defendants states that Defendants have drafted a Constitution, which is not yet final and has not been distributed to members. Council of Sovereign Grand Inspectors General of the thirty-third and last Va. 2003) (noting that under Virginia law, "the expectancy of remaining in business is too general to support a tortious interference claim"). 86841790 ("United Supreme Council Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Prince Hall Affiliation Southern Jurisdiction") was registered on February 14, 2017. Plaintiff Grand Orient was not an active corporation in the District of Columbia at that time. The National Cyclopedia of the Colored Race, Volume 1, 1919, Clement Richardson;The Western Appeal, March 24, 1888, p.1; Several of John G. Jones' loyalists from the USC-SJ shifted fealty to the JGJ-SC. See George & Co. LLC v. Imagination Entm't Ltd. , 575 F.3d 383, 398 (4th Cir. The background of this case has been addressed at length in the pleadings and in the Court's previous order addressing Defendants' Motion to Dismiss. 1995). 1989) (noting that a party is bound by the admissions of his pleadings). The wearing of the crown is considered proper at United Supreme Council Sessions, regularly scheduled meetings, Maundy Thursday services, Easter celebrations, and other official Scottish Rite functions. See Dkt. It shows that members had membership in both Supreme Councils. Dissolution does not prevent commencement of a proceeding by or against the corporation in its corporate name. See Dkt. Washington, DC and a 501 C- 10 tax exempt charitable organization.