Legal bills soar in church homosexuality row
Ewen MacAskill in Washington
Monday May 21, 2007
Guardian Unlimited

The legal costs of a dispute between the US Episcopal church and conservative parishes that have broken away in a row over a gay bishop have already risen to an estimated $700,000 (£354,000) or more.

The case opened today in Virginia's Fairfax county circuit court. Those involved expect the case to be protracted, sending the costs soaring.

Jim Oakes, a spokesman for the breakaway churches, said: "I think it is tragic we are having to spend this money. We have said consistently we would much rather put that into mission work." the rest