Whenever any religious society or religious corporation formed under the provisions of this part has failed, for two years or more, to hold religious services and to maintain its organization, any members of or persons interested in such organization or the Attorney General may present a petition to the superior court for the judicial district in which such organization is located, praying for the winding up of its temporal or property affairs and for a judgment directing the dispositions of its assets remaining after payment of its debts. Such court shall cause notice to be given, in such manner as it deems proper, to the secretary of the general advisory body, if any, of the same religious denomination as that to which such organization belongs, and to the Attorney General and to all persons having any interest in such organization or interest in or claim in, to or against any of its property, all of whom may become parties to the proceeding. If such court, upon hearing, finds that such organization is no longer fulfilling, and will not probably in the future fulfill, the purposes of the organization and that its affairs ought to be wound up and its existence terminated, it may limit the time for the presentation of claims in, to or against such organization or any of its property to some person designated by the court for that purpose, and cause such notice thereof to be given, in such manner as it finds reasonable, and all claims not presented within the time so limited shall be barred. Said court may take such further action in the premises as it deems reasonable and may, if it deems advisable, order the property of such organization, or any part thereof, to be sold and such claims as are allowed by the court against it to be paid, and may render a judgment directing the disposition of the remaining property of such organization in such manner as to effectuate, as nearly as possible, the purposes for which such property was contributed or given, in accordance with the provisions of section 47-2, and may direct such property to be transferred to some corporation connected with the denomination with which such organization was affiliated, or some other trustee, in trust, to be thus administered. No property of a religious society or a religious corporation shall be distributed among its members, or appropriated by any person for private use, and any person appropriating or endeavoring to appropriate, for private use, the assets of any such organization shall be deemed guilty of and subject to the penalties provided for larceny. If the Attorney General receives information of any attempt to appropriate the property of any religious society or religious corporation located within the state to private use, he shall forthwith petition the superior court for the judicial district in which such society or corporation is located to prevent such appropriation, and such court may proceed in the manner hereinbefore provided, or in such manner as it finds to be advisable, and may make such orders and render such judgment as it may find necessary to prevent such appropriation and to effectuate the purposes for which such religious society or religious corporation was organized or such property was contributed or given.

(1969, P.A. 314, S. 6; 1971, P.A. 871, S. 110; P.A. 78-280, S. 2, 127.)

History: 1971 act made appropriation of or attempt to appropriate assets of religious organization larceny rather than a violation of Sec. 53-359; P.A. 78-280 substituted “judicial district” for “county”.