A New York Supreme Court justice has thrown out a lawsuit seeking to overturn the election of the Rev. Kevin R. Johnson as senior pastor of the historic Abyssinian Baptist Church, concluding that the claims did not warrant judicial intervention.
In a decision dated Dec. 22, 2025, Justice James G. Clynes ruled that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate fraud or misconduct in the church’s June 21–23, 2024, election process.
“On this motion to dismiss, respondents (Abyssinian Baptist Church) have sustained their prima facie burden of showing that no fraud or wrongdoing occurred during the June 21-23, 2024, election process and that the petition should be dismissed as a matter of law,” Clynes wrote.
“Petitioners fail to raise an issue of fact showing that the June 21-23, 2024, election process was so flawed as to require judicial intervention. ... Accordingly, the petition is dismissed.”
The lawsuit was brought by four current and former church members—Rev. C. Vernon Mason, Kevin McGruder, Jasmine McFarlane White, and Clarence E. Ball III—who sought to invalidate the vote that led to Johnson’s installation on Sept. 29, 2024. They alleged the election violated church bylaws and was tainted by bias.
In addition to nullifying the vote, the plaintiffs asked the court to mandate a new pastoral search committee, require the church to present a different candidate to the congregation, and void any salary or compensation already paid to Johnson.
Following the ruling, Abyssinian Baptist Church said the decision affirmed the integrity of the process. “This has been a long journey, and we want to express our profound gratitude to our congregation and supporters for your trust, patience, and prayers throughout this process,” the church said in a memo shared with The Christian Post.
“The court has now confirmed what we have known all along: the voice of the congregation was heard, and the will of the congregation was honored. We are ready to close this chapter and look forward with Rev. Dr. Kevin R. Johnson as the duly elected senior pastor.”
The plaintiffs, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome. In a separate statement to CP, they said they were “disappointed” by the ruling, adding, “While we respect the authority of the Court, we do not agree with the outcome, nor do we believe it reflects the gravity of the concerns we brought forward in good faith and in great detail.”
Johnson’s appointment followed a contentious dispute over the leadership role left vacant by the death of longtime pastor Calvin O. Butts III, who led the Harlem congregation for three decades before dying of pancreatic cancer in October 2022.
