Louisville pastor James Cuff faces forgery charge tied to alleged deed transfer

A Louisville pastor, James Cuff, appeared in court on Tuesday in connection with a forgery charge tied to a deed transfer involving a property owned by Mary Matthews, according to WAVE. Cuff was charged in June, and the case centers on an allegation that he forged a deed to move property from Matthews to himself.

WAVE reported that property records show the land at issue once belonged to Cuff’s church. The church sold the property to Matthews in 2021, with Cuff serving as the church’s power of attorney during the transaction, WAVE said.

The charge alleges that the deed Cuff is accused of forging was used to complete a transfer involving Matthews’ property. WAVE’s report describes the alleged conduct as a change to property rights that would override the prior sale arrangement reflected in the 2021 transaction.

The court appearance comes after Cuff was formally charged in June. WAVE’s account indicates that the legal dispute is not only about the ownership of a specific parcel, but also about the authority exercised through a power-of-attorney role during the 2021 sale.

In the reporting, the church’s earlier involvement is framed through its sale to Matthews and Cuff’s power-of-attorney capacity. That history is relevant to how the alleged deed forgery would be understood in relation to the earlier transfer of ownership.

As the case proceeds, it remains subject to the criminal justice process. A charge is an allegation, and the next steps will depend on future court proceedings and any filings by prosecutors and the defense.

The dispute also highlights how property transfers, especially those involving powers of attorney, can carry legal exposure if documentation is later contested, and how court oversight ultimately determines whether criminal liability attaches to specific conduct.