Texas appeals court dismisses defamation suit against Gateway Church

A Dallas appeals court has ordered the dismissal of most claims in a defamation lawsuit filed by Cindy Clemishire and her father, Jerry Lee Clemishire, against Gateway Church, its elders, and founder Robert Morris.

The Fifth Court of Appeals ruled that the case falls under the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine, which prevents secular courts from intervening in matters of church governance and doctrine. Justice Mike Lee, writing for the three-judge panel, stated that determining whether the church's internal communications were defamatory would require the court to examine how church leaders conducted investigations and reached conclusions, making the claims “inextricably intertwined” with religious governance.

The lawsuit originated from a June 2024 internal communication regarding the sexual abuse of Clemishire as a child. The plaintiffs alleged the church falsely framed the abuse and misrepresented the family's response. While the court did not rule on whether the statements were actually defamatory, it concluded that the First Amendment precludes judicial resolution of the merits due to jurisdictional boundaries.