Masonic and Eastern Star Home (MESH) Litigation
The Masonic and Eastern Star Home of the District of Columbia Charities, Inc. (“MESH”) is a charity, with a stated purpose of funding long-term care for needy members of Masonic lodges and chapters of the Order of the Eastern Star in the District of Columbia. MESH is supposed to serve the needs of the local Masonic community.
Since early 2022, MESH, represented by the law firm of Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll PC (“Stein Sperling”) has filed three cases against various members of DC Masonic lodges, as well as against the DC Grand Lodge:
- MESH v. Huertas, No.: C-15-CV-22-001607 (Cir. Ct. Montgomery Cnty., Md.)
- MESH v. Perez, et al., No. C-15-CV-23-004 (Cir. Ct. Montgomery Cnty., Md.)
- MESH v. Perez, No. 2024-CAB-007835 (Super. Ct. D.C.)
MESH Legal Fees:
MESH’s tax return on Form 990 for the year 2022 indicates that MESH spent $793,085 on legal fees in 2022. That is more than MESH spent on legal fees in the years 2000-2021 combined, as reflected in MESH’s tax returns for those years.
MESH’s tax return on Form 990 for the year 2023 indicates that MESH spent $ 1,749,417 on legal fees in 2023, which is more than MESH spent on nursing homes and rehabilitation centers that year or in any year since MESH stopped operating its own care facility.
MESH has not yet publicly disclosed how much it spent on legal fees in 2024, during which both of the Maryland actions filed by MESH were being litigated, and the DC action was commenced. Only one of the three cases was pending during 2022 and substantially all of 2023.
Our Clients’ Counterclaims:
Our clients have filed counterclaims in the action started by MESH in DC Superior Court asking the Court to ensure that MESH complies with its Bylaws at the upcoming Annual Meeting and future meetings, to ensure that all Representatives are permitted to attend and participate fully, which includes nominating directors. In prior years, the MESH Board had “deactivated” some Representatives and informed them that they could not participate in the Assembly. For more information, email us at meshlitigation@cuneolaw.com.
Key Documents:
Fourth Amended Complaint in MESH v Huertas (MD State Court) (action commenced 2022)
Complaint in MESH v. Perez (MD State Court) (filed 2023)
Complaint in MESH v. Perez (DC Superior Court) (filed 2024)
Counterclaims for injunctive relief filed in MESH v. Perez (DC Superior Court) (filed January 2025)