Bandstra v. Covenant Reformed Church

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At issue was negligence and defamation claims brought by two female parishioners and their spouses against a church based on sexual abuse and exploitation perpetrated on the women by the church pastor and the subsequent response by the governing body of the church.The district court granted summary judgment for the church on all claims except negligent supervision. The court then found that the negligent supervision claims brought by the female parishioners were barred by the statute of limitations. The Supreme Court affirmed in part and reversed in part, holding (1) the Religion Clauses of the Iowa and United States Constitutions barred two of the negligence claims brought against the church; (2) the First Amendment does not bar negligent supervision claims against religious entities, and while the relevant statute of limitations barred one parishioner’s claim of negligent supervision, it did not bar the other female parishioner’s negligent supervision claim; and (3) the district court properly dismissed the defamation claims. View "Bandstra v. Covenant Reformed Church" on Justia Law