List of Litigation

The material success of Yogananda's organizations also brought problems. For example, Yogananda himself was involved in several litigation, in addition his organization shows the path of litigation. A list is produced here from the public records of court documents:

Some of the case references are as follows:

1. Swami Dhirananda vs. Swami Yogananda, Case No. 387 391, in the Superior Court of the State of California, in and for the County of Los Angeles, filed May 3, 1935.

In the above case No. 387 391, Swami Yogananda sued Swami Dhirananda back by filing a cross complaint through his attorney, Willedd Andrews. Cross-Complaint: Breach of contract, fraud and damages on May 10, 1935.

Again, in the above case No. 387 391, Yogananda filed his First Amended Cross-Complaint on May 31, 1935.

One more time, in the above case, Yogananda filed a Second Amended Cross-Complaint on June 28, 1935.

2. Nirod Ranjan Choudhuri, also known as Sri Nerode, vs. Swami Yogananda, also known as Mukunda Lal Ghosh: Swami Yogananda doing business as the Self Realization Fellowship Church: Self Realization Fellowship Church, Inc., Case No. 445, 883, in the Superior Court of California, in and for the County of Los Angeles, filed October 23, 1939.

3. C.W. Eley and Ella Eley vs. Paramhansa Yogananda, also known as Swami Yogananda, Self Realization Fellowship Church, in the Superior Court of the State of California, Case No. 504155 390, in and for the County of Los Angeles, filed July 26, 1945.

This was a case of breach of contract for buying some flowers (worth $80,000.00). SRF reneged on the order after paying for the first batch. The broker Mr. C.W. Eley and his wife, Mrs. Ella Eley, sued the defendants for breach of contract, fraud and damage.

4. Yogananda and SRF sued the Eley’s back by filing a cross-complaint in this case.

Again, after three years, the above mentioned case was dismissed, the settlement signed by the both parties, which meant they mutually agreed on some proposal.

5. Yogoda Sat Sanga Society of India vs. Swami Hariharananda Giri of Puri, India, 1974-75.

6. Coastal Commission vs. Self Realization Fellowship in 1981.

Self Realization Fellowship vs. Coastal Commission (counter suit) in 1981.

7. Self Realization Fellowship Church (SRFC), a California corporation, plaintiff, vs. Church of Self Realization, a California corporation; Fellowship of Inner Communion, a California corporation, and James Donald Walters (also known as Sri Kriyananda), an individual, defendants, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, Case No. CIV-S-90-0846 EJG EM, filed on July 2, 1990.

8. Kriyananda (J. Donald Walters) and Ananda Church of Self Realization, vs. Self Realization Fellowship Church and others in 1992.

9. In re Estate of Vernon Cary v. Self Realization Fellowship Church, Kern County California, Superior Court, Case No. 43035, Settled in 1994

10. In re Estate of Paulina B. Rima; Prado, etc. v. Self Realization Fellowship Church, New York County Supreme Court, Case No. 94 Civ. 9057 (MBM), Dismissal on July 13, 1994 pursuant to settlement.

11. Ms. Anne-Marie Bertolucci, Plaintiff vs. Ananda Church of Self Realization and Kriyananda (J. Donald Walters) and others, defendants, in 1996, in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of San Mateo, Case No. 390 230, date January 9, 1996.

In the same suit, on September 26, 1997, Ananda filed 13 “motions” in a bid to knock out plaintiff’s case which they lost. They also filed a “cross-complaint” for defamation against the plaintiff and Yogananda’s organization, Self Realization Fellowship Church, alleging “conspiracy;” but later on, they dropped it.

The Plaintiff sued the defendant for filing a frivolous claim (the cross-complaint), alleging conspiracy and slander when the defendant, Ananda Church of Self Realization and Kriyananda (J. Donald Walters) and others, dropped the “cross-compliant.”

12. Patricia Lyons v. Self Realization Fellowship Church, Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case No. BC 184382, filed January 16,1998, Complaint for Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress, (Plaintiff was ex-employee of SRF).

13. Sunset Palisades, etc. v. Self Realization Fellowship Church, et al. Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case No. BC212613, filed June 25, 1999

14. Anne-Marie Bertolucci, an individual, plaintiff, vs. Ananda Church of Self Realization, A California religious corporation, James Donald Walters (also known as J. Donald Walters), an individual, defendants, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, Case No. CIV-S-99-1439 LKK JFM, filed on June 27, 1999. Demand for Jury trial.

Anne-Marie Bertolucci, an individual, plaintiff, vs. Ananda Church of Self Realization, A California religious corporation, James Donald Walters (also known as J. Donald Walters), an individual, defendants, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, Case No. CIV-S-99-1439 LKK JFM, filed on August 10 1999, Dismissal of Complaint (FRCP 41 (a) (1).

15. John F. Perry, Executor of the Estate of Richard C. Perry, V. Self Realization Fellowship Church, Estate No. 169476, filed on Aug. 4, file No. 2000-CV-29008, District Court.

16. Self Realization Fellowship Church, a California Corporation, Plaintiff-Appellant, Vs Ananda Church of Self Realization, a California Corporation, Fellowship of Inner Communion, No 97-17407, at the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, filed March 23, 2000.

In addition, between 1990 and 2000, Self Realization Fellowship has three personal injury/workers compensation cases and two labor actions.

No wonder Mahamuni Babaji and Lahiri Mahasay prohibited developing organizations around the teaching of Kriya.

No wonder Paramhansa Sri Ramakrisna said: Ami dal pakate asini, “I have not come to form a group.”

 

Amended and Revised By-laws of Self Realization Fellowship Church