SOUTHLAKE (TX)
CBS News [New York NY]
February 6, 2026
By Giles Hudson
Two former Gateway Church elders on Friday have lost their bid to be removed from a $1 million defamation lawsuit filed by sexual assault survivor Cindy Clemishire.
Dallas County Judge Emily Tobolowsky issued the ruling after a hearing Friday, saying the case can move forward.
Steve Dulin and Kevin Grove, both former elders, had argued they shouldn’t be part of the suit under the Texas Citizens Participation Act, legislation designed to protect people from meritless or retaliatory legal claims.
Defamation suit filed
Clemishire and her father filed the suit against Gateway Church in June of last year. It names the church, its founding pastor, Robert Morris, wife, Debbie, along with former and current elders and a staff member. In their suit, the Clemishires alleged the church downplayed and mischaracterized abuse she suffered as a child at the hands of Mr. Morris.
In November, the Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas agreed with a request from the church to halt discovery in the case while it considers whether the case can move forward.
Mr. Morris is serving a six-month jail sentence after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting Clemishire in Oklahoma starting in the 1980s, starting when she was 12 years-old.
Mr. Morris remains in the Osage County, Oklahoma Jail, after he pleaded guilty in October to five counts of lewd and indecent conduct with Clemishire. He faces 9.5 years on probation after he gets out and will have to register as a sex offender.
Other cases against the church
The church and Robert Morris also have two other cases pending. The first, in Tarrant County, is over the millions of dollars he claims the church owes him as part of a retirement agreement. There is also a federal class-action lawsuit filed by former members that accuses Gateway and Robert Morris of failing to honor promises to give 15% of donations to global missions and misleading congregants with assurances of refunds.
By Giles Hudson
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