Lawsuits in the Church

Bringing the courts in to take sides in church governance is a shame and this thread at the Volokh Conspiracy inquiring about precedent law on the subject is just dispiriting to me. Haven't these people read 1 Corinthians 6?

If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church! I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother goes to law against another—and this in front of unbelievers!

The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers.

The cases cited just scream "unhealthy church" to me. Struggles over leadership. Absolute unwillingness to compromise. I've been through some rough church splits in my time, but to get the courts involved? Never has it been that bad.