HARRISBURG, Pa -- The bankers' three-year-old communitychartering case involving Freedom Credit Union and TruMarkFinancial CU before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is gettingdelayed again until next March.

In a Nov. 5 order, the high court without explanation, said itwas postponing until its spring term oral arguments regarding thefield of membership/tax-exemption complaint brought by thePennsylvania Bankers Association against the two CUs and thestate's Department of Banking.

"We are disappointed that we cannot wrap up this aspect of theFreedom/TruMark Financial case by year end," explained Rick Wargo,general counsel for the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association. "Wewere moving at a good pace throughout this year. We will regroupand address whatever questions the court may have in the spring of2008."

The court had originally scheduled arguments for Nov. 28 but itwas understood a tight schedule may have prompted the latest courtdelay.

The court re-listed the case for March 3-7 to be held inPittsburgh. In March 2006, the lower Commonwealth Court on a 7-1ruling held the state had acted properly in granting FOM expansionto the two CUs under the state's constitution. That ruling wassubsequently appealed to the state's high court by the PBA andseveral banks.