What Is the University of Metaphysical Sciences Lawsuit?
The University of Metaphysical Sciences lawsuit is a federal breach-of-contract case between two competing metaphysics schools, International Metaphysical Ministry, Inc. v. Wisdom of the Heart Church, Case No. 4:21-cv-08066-KAW. International Metaphysical Ministry, known as IMM, filed it on October 14, 2021 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
IMM is a Sedona, Arizona nonprofit that operates the University of Metaphysics and the University of Sedona. Wisdom of the Heart Church operates the University of Metaphysical Sciences, called UMS, from Arcata, California. Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore presided over the case.
The case is not a class action, not a student complaint, and not a regulator's action. It concerns whether one school broke a private settlement agreement signed in August 2019. It closed on May 12, 2025.
“Plaintiff International Metaphysical Ministry, Inc. filed the instant case against Defendant Wisdom of the Heart Church, alleging that Defendant violated a settlement agreement's non-disparagement clause and provision to refrain from using Plaintiff's marks in its advertising. Plaintiff and Defendant are competing educational institutions offering instruction in metaphysics.”
Source: Source: United States District Court, Northern District of California, International Metaphysical Ministry, Inc. v. Wisdom of the Heart Church, Case No. 21-cv-08066-KAW, Order Denying Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment, Dkt. No. 74 (September 9, 2022)
Why Was the University of Metaphysical Sciences Lawsuit Filed?
The University of Metaphysical Sciences lawsuit was filed because IMM believed UMS had broken two promises in an August 2019 settlement agreement. That agreement ended an earlier trademark fight between the same schools.
IMM alleged that UMS posted a webpage in February 2020 that made false and disparaging statements about IMM. IMM also alleged that UMS ran online ads using IMM's registered names. UMS denied breaching the agreement and answered with counterclaims.
UMS says IMM, not UMS, caused the confusion. UMS founder Christine Breese stated in a court declaration that in October 2019 she saw Google ads for UMS's own name that linked to IMM. The court left both sides' ad theories for a jury to weigh.
What Harms Does the University of Metaphysical Sciences Lawsuit Allege?
The University of Metaphysical Sciences lawsuit alleges three distinct breaches of one private settlement agreement, each defined below. A court has not found UMS liable on any of them, and none of the claims reached a jury verdict.
Breach of the Non-Disparagement Clause
A non-disparagement clause is a contract term in which the parties agree not to make statements that injure each other's reputation or business.
IMM alleged that UMS's February 2020 webpage about IMM violated the settlement agreement's mutual non-disparagement clause. IMM sent a letter on September 17, 2020 and UMS said on October 17, 2020 that it had edited the page.
The court denied IMM's motion for summary judgment on this claim in September 2022. It reasoned that IMM never identified which statements were disparaging, so a jury could find the page was not disparaging.
Breach of the Advertising Terms
An advertising-terms clause is a contract term that limits whether one party may use the other party's registered trademarks in its advertising.
IMM alleged that UMS ran ads using IMM's names, which Section 7.2 of the settlement agreement barred for IMM's registered trademarks. Whether a name counted as registered decided most of this claim.
The court ruled in September 2022 that University of Metaphysics, University of Sedona, and Theocentric Psychology were not valid registered marks under the agreement. Only International Metaphysical Ministry remained in play, and only for use before its April 30, 2021 cancellation.
Breach of the Implied Covenant of Good Faith
The implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing is a California contract rule that neither party may unfairly deprive the other of the benefits the contract promises.
IMM pled this claim as its second cause of action alongside the two breach claims above. The September 2022 summary judgment order addressed IMM's first and third claims in detail and did not separately rule on this one.
What Is the Current Status of the University of Metaphysical Sciences Lawsuit?
The current status of the University of Metaphysical Sciences lawsuit is closed. The court terminated Case No. 4:21-cv-08066-KAW on May 12, 2025 after both sides filed a stipulation dismissing the action with prejudice. The docket reviewed for this page ends with a May 13, 2025 order. Dockets were read through the CourtListener RECAP archive, not an independent PACER pull.
International Metaphysical Ministry, Inc. v. Wisdom of the Heart Church
The 2021 case moved through preliminary injunction denial, cross-motions for summary judgment in 2022, and a second round of summary judgment briefing in 2023. Pretrial filings were still being exchanged in May 2025 when the parties settled the dispute by stipulation.
| Court | U.S. District Court, Northern District of California |
| Case Number | 4:21-cv-08066-KAW |
| Judge | Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore |
| Filed | October 14, 2021 |
| Plaintiff | International Metaphysical Ministry, Inc. (operates University of Metaphysics and University of Sedona) |
| Defendant | Wisdom of the Heart Church, doing business as University of Metaphysical Sciences |
| Claims | Breach of contract (non-disparagement), breach of implied covenant of good faith, breach of contract (advertising terms) |
| Counterclaims | Six, including breach of the pre-suit notice clause and California unfair competition |
| Outcome | Stipulated dismissal with prejudice, May 12, 2025 |
Both sides demanded a jury. No trial took place, and no court issued a verdict for either school.
International Metaphysical Ministry Inc. v. Schaefer
The earlier trademark case began in Arizona and moved to California in July 2018 under a new case number. It ended with the August 2019 settlement agreement at the center of the 2021 lawsuit.
| Court | U.S. District Court, District of Arizona, then Northern District of California |
| Case Numbers | 3:17-cv-08280 (Arizona), 4:18-cv-04524 (California) |
| Judges | John J. Tuchi (Arizona), Saundra Brown Armstrong (California) |
| Filed | December 28, 2017 |
| Plaintiffs | International Metaphysical Ministry and the Paul Leon Masters Revocable Living Trust |
| Cause | Trademark infringement |
| Transferred | July 24, 2018 |
| Docket Closed | June 12, 2019 (California docket) |
UMS's public pages count three lawsuits, one each in 2017, 2018, and 2021. The docket text shows the 2017 and 2018 numbers belong to one transferred case, so two lawsuits exist across three case numbers.
Was Any Money Paid in the University of Metaphysical Sciences Lawsuit?
No. The University of Metaphysical Sciences lawsuit ended without any payment to or by either side, according to the stipulation that closed the case.
The docket entry confirms a stipulation dismissing the action with prejudice (Dkt. 216). The payment wording comes from images of that filing published by UMS, because the document was not available in the free RECAP archive when this page was prepared. Only the court's own file can confirm every term.
The stipulation, as published, also says each side bears its own attorney's fees and costs and that the parties release each other from the disputes in the complaint and counterclaims. It adds that nothing in it admits the merits of either side's claims.
A dismissal with prejudice means IMM cannot refile the same claims. It is not a ruling that UMS did nothing wrong, because no judge or jury decided the merits.
University of Metaphysical Sciences Lawsuit Updates and Case Status
The latest University of Metaphysical Sciences lawsuit update is that the case is over. Both schools stipulated to dismissal with prejudice on May 12, 2025, and the case status stays closed as of October 2026. The timeline below follows every verified filing and order from the first 2017 complaint forward.
University of Metaphysical Sciences Lawsuit Timeline of Events
Court Enters an Order After the Dismissal
The court entered an order on the docket of Case No. 4:21-cv-08066-KAW the day after the parties dismissed the action. That entry is the last one reviewed for this page.
IMM and UMS Stipulate to Dismissal With Prejudice
International Metaphysical Ministry and Wisdom of the Heart Church filed Dkt. 216, a stipulation dismissing the 2021 action with prejudice, and the clerk terminated the case the same day. UMS's published images of the filing show no payment by either side and no admission on the merits.
Court Orders Both Schools to Explain a $500 Sanction Risk
Judge Westmore ordered IMM and UMS to show cause by May 12, 2025 why they should not be jointly sanctioned $500 for ignoring two orders about delivering chambers copies of pretrial filings. The order is Dkt. 214.
Court Demands Missing Chambers Copies of Pretrial Filings
The court issued Dkt. 213 after neither school delivered paper copies of the jury instructions and other pretrial filings it had required. The order set a deadline of 3:00 p.m. that day.
Both Sides File Proposed Jury Instructions
Two sets of proposed jury instructions were filed in the IMM and UMS case on May 5, 2025, a day after an exhibit list was filed. The filings show the case was heading toward a jury trial.
Court Issues Instructions for Pretrial Filings
Judge Westmore's Dkt. 205 order set the rules for the parties' pretrial filings in the IMM and UMS case, including the one-court-day deadline for chambers copies that the parties later missed.
IMM and UMS File a Joint Case Management Statement
The two schools submitted Dkt. 203, a joint case management statement, in Case No. 4:21-cv-08066-KAW, about sixteen months after the court set summary judgment briefing on whether the settlement agreement could be reformed or rescinded.
Proposed Jury Instructions Appear on the Docket
A first set of proposed jury instructions was filed in the IMM and UMS case as Dkt. 173, which means the case had again reached the pretrial stage by spring 2024.
Court Vacates the June 2023 Trial Date
Dkt. 143 vacated the June 9, 2023 trial and May 24 pretrial conference in the IMM and UMS case. The court wanted briefing on whether both sides' mistaken belief that all four marks were registered meant the settlement agreement should be reformed or rescinded. Motions were due May 22, with a July 20 hearing.
Court Narrows the Case in a Summary Judgment Order
Dkt. 74 denied IMM's motion for partial summary judgment and granted UMS's motion as to University of Metaphysics, University of Sedona, and Theocentric Psychology. The order left only International Metaphysical Ministry in play and urged the parties to resume settlement talks.
UMS Files Amended Counterclaims
Wisdom of the Heart Church filed six amended counterclaims in the 2021 case, including breach of the pre-suit notice clause, breach of the advertising terms, and violation of California's Unfair Competition Law. It had first answered the complaint on November 22, 2021.
IMM Files the Contract Lawsuit Against UMS
International Metaphysical Ministry sued Wisdom of the Heart Church in the Northern District of California, alleging UMS breached the non-disparagement and advertising terms of their 2019 settlement agreement and pleading three claims.
IMM Sends UMS a Breach Letter
IMM wrote to UMS alleging that a UMS webpage violated the settlement agreement's non-disparagement clause. UMS replied on October 17, 2020 that it had edited the content and asked whether IMM still had concerns. UMS's counsel later told the court it received no response.
IMM and UMS Sign a Settlement Agreement
The two schools signed the settlement agreement that later became the subject of the 2021 lawsuit, with mutual non-disparagement and trademark terms. The court's 2022 order dates the signing only to August 2019.
California Docket for the 2017 Case Is Closed
CourtListener lists the Northern District of California docket for IMM's trademark case, No. 4:18-cv-04524, as terminated on June 12, 2019. That followed UMS's April 2019 motion to dismiss IMM's first amended complaint.
Arizona Court Transfers the Trademark Case to California
The District of Arizona transferred IMM's trademark infringement case to the Northern District of California, where it received a new number, 3:18-cv-4524. IMM had moved in April 2018 to withdraw its request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction.
IMM and the Masters Trust Sue UMS Parties in Arizona
International Metaphysical Ministry and the Paul Leon Masters Revocable Living Trust filed a trademark infringement complaint against Wisdom of the Heart Church and others in the District of Arizona, Case No. 3:17-cv-08280, assigned to Judge John J. Tuchi.
What Does the University of Metaphysical Sciences Say About the Lawsuit?
The University of Metaphysical Sciences says it was never liable to IMM, and the court record does not contradict that. No judge or jury found UMS liable, and the final dismissal was by stipulation, not verdict.
UMS published several pages and a GoFundMe legal defense fund describing the cases as dismissed. UMS also filed six counterclaims in 2021. In September 2022 the court denied IMM's motion on four of them, including the claim that IMM skipped the settlement agreement's 60-day pre-suit notice.
Some UMS statements go further than the docket. The table below compares them with the court record.
| UMS Public Statement | What the Court Record Shows |
|---|---|
| Three separate lawsuits were filed in 2017, 2018, and 2021. | The 2017 Arizona case was transferred to California in July 2018 under a new number, so the dockets show two lawsuits across three numbers. |
| No court has ever found misconduct by UMS. | Consistent with the record. No court entered a liability finding, and no trial verdict exists for either school. |
| No settlement or payment was involved. | The 2021 stipulation, as UMS published it, says no payment was made. The earlier case did end in an August 2019 settlement agreement, per the court's 2022 order. |
| A UMS page quotes Dkt. 74 as finding IMM offered no evidence of keyword bidding, billing records, or Lanham Act misrepresentations. | The 19-page order does not contain those quotations. It concerns breach of a settlement agreement and notes that no Lanham Act claim was brought. |
Readers can check the order directly through the primary-source link in the first section of this page.
Is the University of Metaphysical Sciences Lawsuit Related to the University of Metaphysics and University of Sedona?
Yes, but only as the opposing party. The University of Metaphysics and the University of Sedona are the names IMM operates, so IMM is the plaintiff in this lawsuit and UMS is the defendant.
The names are easy to confuse. IMM and UMS are competing schools offering instruction in metaphysics, and search results for this lawsuit include Reddit threads about the University of Metaphysics and the University of Sedona. This page did not rely on any Reddit post for facts.
The lawsuit does not address accreditation, student refunds, or the quality of any school's courses. Only the 2017 trademark case and the 2021 contract case are covered by the dockets above.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the University of Metaphysical Sciences lawsuit about?
The University of Metaphysical Sciences lawsuit is about whether the University of Metaphysical Sciences broke a 2019 settlement agreement with International Metaphysical Ministry. IMM alleged a disparaging webpage and ads using its names, and filed the case in October 2021.
Is the University of Metaphysical Sciences lawsuit a class action?
No. The University of Metaphysical Sciences lawsuit is a two-party business dispute between International Metaphysical Ministry and Wisdom of the Heart Church. No students or consumers are plaintiffs, and no class of claimants exists to join.
Was the University of Metaphysical Sciences lawsuit dismissed?
Yes. The University of Metaphysical Sciences lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice on May 12, 2025, after IMM and UMS filed a stipulation. The dismissal was agreed by both sides, so no judge or jury decided who was right.
Did the University of Metaphysical Sciences pay anything to end the lawsuit?
No. The stipulation that ended the University of Metaphysical Sciences lawsuit, as published by UMS, says no payment was made to or by either side. Each side bears its own attorney's fees and costs.
Is the University of Metaphysical Sciences lawsuit about accreditation or student complaints?
No. The University of Metaphysical Sciences lawsuit concerns trademarks, advertising, and a webpage, as pled in a breach-of-contract complaint. The court record reviewed for this page does not address accreditation, refunds, or student complaints.
Why does the University of Metaphysical Sciences lawsuit show up in Reddit searches?
Search results for the University of Metaphysical Sciences lawsuit include Reddit threads about the University of Metaphysics and the University of Sedona. The lawsuit itself was a contract dispute between competing schools, and this page uses court records, not Reddit posts.
Did International Metaphysical Ministry sue the University of Metaphysical Sciences more than once?
Yes. International Metaphysical Ministry sued Wisdom of the Heart Church, which operates the University of Metaphysical Sciences, in December 2017 over trademarks and again in October 2021 over the 2019 settlement agreement. The 2017 case moved from Arizona to California in 2018.