Lawsuit against Mormon church moves forward in sexual abuse case

SALT LAKE CITY (UT)
MSN [Redmond WA ]

August 1, 2025

By Erin Alberty, Axios

An Arizona appeals court has resuscitated a high-profile lawsuit against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ruling unanimously that the church may have been obligated to report a man to police after he confessed to sexually abusing his children.

Why it matters: The ruling argues there are limits to Arizona’s guarantee of “clergy-penitent privilege,” reversing a lower court’s dismissal.

  • “In this tragic case involving abuse perpetrated by the children’s father, the church and its clergy acted in accordance with Arizona law,” a prepared statement reads.

The intrigue: The judges also found that LDS doctrine may not actually require bishops to keep confessions confidential.

  • They cited a passage in the church handbook that allows bishops to report “when disclosure is necessary to prevent life threatening harm or serious injury.”

What they’re saying: “There is a genuine issue whether it was ‘reasonable and necessary’ for [the church] to withhold reporting … within the concepts of the religion,” the ruling states.

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https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/lawsuit-against-mormon-church-moves-forward-in-sexual-abuse-case/ar-AA1JG32n