West Virginia Code
Article 1. Religious Organizations
§35-1-11. Proceedings to Prevent Conveyances or Creation of Liens

When any conveyance of, or any lien upon, the real estate of any church, religious sect, society, or denomination, or of any individual church, parish, congregation or branch, is proposed to be made or created by the trustee or trustees thereof, and such conveyance or the creation of such lien will, it is believed, violate or be inconsistent with the conditions or purposes of the trust under which the real estate is held, or the proper authorities or the requisite number of members do not desire, or have not directed, that a conveyance be made of or a lien be created upon such real estate, or the rights of other parties will thereby be affected, or for any other cause the making of such conveyance or the creation of such lien is improper; one fourth or more of the total number of members of the conference, synod, presbytery, convention, association, consultors or other ecclesiastical body representing any church, religious sect, society or denomination, when the property involved is that of the church, religious sect, society, or denomination as a whole; or one fourth or more of the total number of members who are over eighteen years of age of any individual church, parish, congregation or branch, when the property involved is that of such individual church, parish, congregation or branch, may, in the name of two or more of them, on behalf of themselves and the others similarly objecting, file their petition in the circuit court of the county where such real estate is situated, or before the judge of such court in vacation, against the trustee or trustees, or the surviving or remaining trustee or trustees, setting up the reasons why such conveyance should not be made or such lien should not be created. The court or judge, on the filing of such petition, shall fix a time and place for the hearing of the same, and direct a copy of such petition and a notice of the time and place of such hearing to be served on such trustee or trustees a reasonable time in advance thereof; and at the time and place so fixed the court or judge shall proceed to hear the objections to the making of such conveyance or creation of such lien, and make such order in reference thereto as may be right and proper.

Structure West Virginia Code