Welcome to the In re: AME Church Employee Retirement Fund Litigation Settlement Website
Case No. 1:22-md-03035-STA-jay
A federal court authorized the Notice. You are not being sued. This is not a solicitation from a lawyer.
If you are a person who was a participant or a beneficiary of a participant in the African Methodist Episcopal Church Ministerial Retirement Annuity Plan who was entitled to benefits as of June 30, 2021, you may be eligible for a settlement payment.
- A Settlement has been reached between the African Methodist Episcopal Church (“AME Church”), AMEC Ministerial Retirement Annuity Plan (the “Plan”), AMEC Department of Retirement Services, AMEC General Board, AMEC, Inc., and AMEC Council of Bishops (collectively the “AME Defendants”) and Plaintiffs of all claims that Plaintiffs are asserting against the AME Defendants in a class action lawsuit pending in the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee (the “AME Settlement”).
- A separate Settlement has also been reached (1) between Defendant Newport Group, Inc. (“Newport”) and Plaintiffs of all claims that Plaintiffs are asserting against Newport, and (2) between the AME Defendants and Newport of all claims that they asserted against each other in the same class action lawsuit pending in the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee (the “Newport Settlement”).
- The AME Defendants and Newport are referred to collectively in the Notice as the “Settling Defendants."
- The lawsuit is known as In re: AME Church Employee Retirement Fund Litigation, Case No. 1:22-md-03035-STA-jay (W.D. Tenn.) (the “Action” or “Lawsuit”) pending in the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee (“the Court”). The Settling Defendants deny that they are at fault, they violated any law, nor engaged in any wrongdoing, and the Court has not ruled in favor of any party (neither the Plaintiffs, the Settling Defendants, or any of the Non-Settling Defendants defined below) who remain in the ongoing Lawsuit). The Plaintiffs have agreed to the Settlements to avoid the costs and risks associated with continuing the Lawsuit against the Settling Defendants, and to allow the Settlement Class Members to receive compensation.
- You are included in the Settlements as a Class Member if you were a participant or a beneficiary of a participant in the frican Methodist Episcopal Church Ministerial Retirement Annuity Plan who was entitled to benefits as of June 30, 2021 and if you have not been named as a Defendant in the Lawsuit.
- The information provided to you in this Notice is only a summary of the AME Settlement and the Newport Settlement. The terms detailed and explained in the AME Settlement Agreement that has been filed with the Court are the binding terms of the AME Settlement. You may find a copy of the AME Settlement Agreement here. Likewise, the terms detailed and explained in the Newport Settlement Agreement that has been filed with the Court are the binding terms of the Newport Settlement. You also may find a copy of the Newport Settlement Agreement here.
- If you want to participate in the AME Settlement, the Newport Settlement, or both Settlements, then no action is required on your part. You will be automatically included in the Settlements and will receive a settlement payment in the manner described below if the Court grants final approval of the Settlements. If you do NOT want to participate in either he AME Settlement, the Newport Settlement, or both Settlements, then you must take action by June 6, 2025.
PLEASE REVIEW THE WEBSITE CAREFULLY. YOUR RIGHTS MAY BE AFFECTED BY THE PROPOSED CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENTS.
YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS AND OPTIONS IN THE SETTLEMENTS
Your rights and options—and the deadlines by which you must exercise them—are explained in the Notice.
Tennessee law prohibits retaliation for participating in or electing not to participate in the Settlements. The AME Defendants and Newport will not take any adverse action against or otherwise target, retaliate, or discriminate against any Class Member because of the Class Member’s participation in or decision not to participate in either or both Settlements.
DO NOTHING
To receive your pro-rata portions of the AME Settlement Amount AND the Newport Settlement Amount, you do not need to do anything. Your portions will be deposited into your retirement account automatically after the Court grants final approval to the Settlements and final judgment is entered on Plaintiffs’ claims against the AME Defendants and Newport.
EXCLUDE YOURSELF FROM EITHER OR BOTH SETTLEMENTS BY "OPTING OUT"
You may “opt out” of either the AME Settlement, the Newport Settlement, or both Settlements if you do not wish to participate in either or both Settlements. If you opt out of either or both Settlements, you will not receive any class action payment under the Settlement or Settlements that you opt out of. Opting out is the only option that allows you to pursue your own claims (in your own lawsuit) against the AME Defendants or Newport about the legal claims in this case. If you want to opt out of either or both Settlements, you must submit a signed Request for Exclusion by mail to the Settlement Administrator no later than June 6, 2025. Untimely Requests for Exclusion will be rejected. See below for more detailed information on how to submit a Request for Exclusion and he effects of such a Request.
OBJECT TO EITHER OR BOTH SETTLEMENTS AND/OR ATTEND HEARING
You may object to either the AME Settlement, the Newport Settlement, or both Settlements if you think that either or both Settlements are not fair. You should submit a written objection to either or both Settlements no later than June 6, 2025. You may also ask the Court for permission to speak about your objection(s) at the Fairness Hearing. See FAQ 10 for more detailed information on how to submit an Objection.