1996. Leadership dispute In 1991 Jensen appointed 12 members to a second International Baháʼí Council (sIBC), modeled on the International Baháʼí Council set up by Shoghi Effendi, and Jensen registered it in 1993 as a non-profit corporation in Montana. In 2001, Neal Chase claimed to have been secretly adopted by Pepe and that he was the Guardian and rightful heir to the council's funds and property. The treasurer of the council responded by declaring Neal Chase a Covenant-breaker, and Chase subsequently claimed that failing to recognize him as the Guardian amounted to Covenant-breaking. The majority members of the sIBC filed a complaint on 26 April 2002, seeking an order granting damages against Chase, including interest and attorney's fees; and an injunction forbidding Chase to represent the council. Chase filed a motion to dismiss on July 15, 2003, arguing that a judicial resolution would require a court to interpret religious doctrine. The motion was granted September 29, 2003. The case was appealed to the Supreme Court of Montana in 2004, and a decision came February 15, 2005: "This dispute revolves around two basic issues: the composition of the Board, and the powers of the presidency in relation to the church property... The District Court has no power either to anoint a successor to any religious office, or to invalidate any claim thereto. If these two issues can be resolved on purely secular grounds, then the District Court can apply corporate, property, and tort law in deciding the merits of the Board's conversion and other claims against Chase." The case was remanded to the lower court for further proceedings. See also Baháʼí divisions Citations References . Newspaper articles Bradlee, Eva (24 November 2001). "A Baháʼí perspective on spiritual destiny". The Missoulian "Baháʼí: Deer Lodge Sanctuary" (January 29, 1991). The Missoulian. Front page. Woods, Victor (23 November 2002). "Local Baháʼís Share Covenant Celebration". The Missoulian. “Local Baháʼí Leader dead at 81”. August 8, 1996. Missoulian p. B2. "Millennial Fever" (July 17, 1997). Missoula Independent. Front Page. “Ezekiel's Temple in Montana!” (9 February 1991). The Montana Standard. Front Page. Federal appeals court rules in favor of splinter Baha'i group (25 Nov 2010).Chicago Tribune Further reading External links American Bahá'ís 1914 births 1996 deaths Place of birth missing Place of death missing 20th-century apocalypticists Pyramidologists