Johnny Hunt lawsuit against SBC dismissed by U.S. court

A U.S. district court has dismissed the final remaining claim in a defamation lawsuit brought by former Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) President Johnny Hunt against the SBC, its Executive Committee, and Guidepost Solutions.

Chief District Judge William L. Campbell Jr. issued the summary judgment on August 12, resolving the case in favor of the defendants. The lawsuit, originally filed in March 2023, stemmed from a 2022 Guidepost Solutions report regarding the mishandling of sexual abuse claims within the SBC. While previous claims had been dismissed in March 2025, the final claim centered on a 2022 tweet by then-SBC President Bart Barber.

The court ruled that Hunt was a public figure during the relevant period and found no evidence that the tweet was made with actual malice. Jeff Iorg, president of the SBC Executive Committee, stated that the decision brings the district-court proceedings to an end.