Nat'l Grange the Order of Patrons of Husbandry v. Cal. Guild

*1134 In this declaratory relief action, the trial court granted summary judgment to the plaintiff, The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry (the National Grange), declaring (essentially) that the property that belonged to the California State Grange when the National Grange revoked the California State Grange's charter in 2013 now belongs to a newly chartered California State Grange. On appeal, various defendants-including the former California State Grange (now known as the California Guild)-contend *401 the trial court erred. We disagree and affirm.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to defendants (the losing parties) (see Saelzler v. Advanced Group 400 (2001) 25 Cal.4th 763 , 768, 107 Cal.Rptr.2d 617 , 23 P.3d 1143 ), the following facts appear.

*1135 The Basic Structure And Laws Of The Grange

The Order of Patrons of Husbandry is a nationwide fraternal organization that was formed in 1867 to represent the interests of America's farmers. 1 The Order has a multi-tiered, hierarchical structure and representative form of government that is prescribed by its Digest of Laws-particularly, the Order's constitution and…