To hillary_step : Couldnt Franz take these brothers to court because he couldn't appeal the descicion of his expulsion? I've heard stories of elders not daring to disfellowhip one because because of fear that somebody may take legal action against them for mistreatment and injustification of the matters. Why didn't Franz do that?
if your question is COULD HE HAVE TAKEN THEM TO COURT the answer is probably yes, but could he have won or even kept his case from being thrown out of court, that is a horse of a different color here in the USA the courts have been very lery of getting into church policy- so the courts rarely get into making a church keep a person a member who has broken church rules and to speak against or question the wt is BREAKING THE RULES- AND THE courts have no desire or intention of getting involved-