I am bringing this to the top because of some comments to my previous post on whether I am stretching matters and some legal speculations and issues. I did not state by listing the corporations that I was citing solid assets or whether these would be good attack in litigation or whether they might be shielded. Here are some helpful clarifications:
Non-Profit Corporations: I searched for all non-profit registered corporations in all 50 states using the names Watch Tower or Watchtower and a few other related names. What showed up were many corporations, a few of which I was able to rule out with a few phone calls. Some did not answer their phone or it was disconnected, so I left it "unconfirmed".
I have a large list I have been building for sometime now in both non-profit and profit or stock companies related to the WTS. Some on my list I did not publish because I have some concerns about doing that. Also, I left out stock companies and local congregations because the list is otherwise too long, and not related to the non-profit registrations.
Watch Tower Conventions: These organizations are largely regional and are established to coordinate and set up conventions in various locations. They are the respopnsible entity that negotiates stadium contracts, etcs. obtains liability insurance, and most importantly, handles cash. Since they do not want to pay taxes on any contributions or money sent from the Society is that is done, then they need to register as a non-profit. They can use a Kingdom Hall, or PO or City Overseer's address for their registration. But, there would be no need to register unless significant amont of money was being handled by the Convention.
Assembly Halls: Originally, these were owned by the Circuits or Districts that built them. This may have involved two or three Districts and maybe 100 to 300 congregations. If you examine the deed recorded in the country where these facilities are located you will see who the owners are, and if you check with the Secretary of State in their respective States, you can find the names of the officers and the Registered Agent. These Assembly Halls also need to be non-profit as a Church so they can be exempt from any income and real property tax, and in some states inventory and asset tax.
Warehouses: These were set up years ago, usually on property where an Assembly Hall was constructed, such as the Fremont, California Assembly Hall. The Society, in trying to save on postage and shipping, set up Distribution Points at these warehouses to ship large amounts of literature on their own trucks from New York. Then, the Districts and Circuits participating would get shipments from these Distribution Points. Also, certain amounts of Districts Convention materials are kept at these Distribution Warehouses, such as Literature to be released at Conventions, sound equipment, stage displays, etc.
Trusts and Trust Funds: The "Trusts" are sometimes used in lieu of a corporation in some locations. They fundction the same as non-profits is established correctly for a religious entity. They can also serve as a means to collect and hold donated assets, such as stocks, bonds, savings accounts, real estate, etc. "Trust Funds" are normally liquid in nature and set up to collect and hold cash and pay disbursements to a beneficiary, in this case the Watch Tower Society.
Religious Corporations: These are the most commonly known amoung JWs as the publishing and printing facilities and housing and other related facilities for operations in New York and Branch Offices around the world.
Farms: The Watch Tower Farms operate in upstate New York and in Florida. They were originally built to provide food for workers at the headquarters. I am not sure of the Society did this as a cost reduction program or if it was in the belief that if food supplies were cut because of war and other political disruptions, they could still eat and function. I am not really sure why they extended this to include Florida, unless they wanted certain crops that will not grow well in New York State, or that they can use seasonal advantages to enhance their food production. These farm sites have also doubled as printing facilities as they have had greater need to print more and more literature and meet logistical demands of simultaneous production.
Are these various assets shielded from lawsuits?: Not necessarily. Much depends on the claim involved, the entity being sued, and the amount of the claim. If for example a person gets injured at a Convention, likely the liability insurance will cover the claims, and no attack will ever be made on other assets, unless the damage ius great, proven to be seriosuly negligent, and liability coverage is inadequate.
What about any civil suits as a result of the pedophile issue? I have much information on what can happen were this to ever become the case. I will not disclose that right now. But, I can say that the Watch Tower Soceity and its subordinate and related entities are not immune or shielded from having assets attacked.
Amazing