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Robert Morris, Gateway Church Lawsuit Being Appealed to Texas Supreme Court After Dismissal
Her attorneys argue church autonomy should not shield alleged defamatory statements about an abuse survivor or block claims that Gateway hid information about Robert Morris.
- On Thursday, sexual abuse survivor Cindy Clemishire asked the Texas Supreme Court to revive her defamation lawsuit against Gateway Church and former pastor Robert Morris, holding a press conference in Austin to announce the filing.
- Last month, the Fifth District Court of Appeals dismissed the case citing the Ecclesiastical Abstention Doctrine, a legal principle rooted in First Amendment protections that prohibits civil courts from interfering in church governance.
- Clemishire alleges Gateway made defamatory statements after she disclosed that Morris sexually abused her beginning at age 12 in the 1980s over approximately four and a half years; the $1 million suit names Morris, his wife and church elders.
- State Rep. Jeff Leach argues the dismissal creates an "extraordinary double standard in Texas law" shielding church leaders differently than secular institutions, while Gateway attorney Bill Mateja counters the ruling correctly upholds church autonomy.
- Clemishire contends "religious liberty cannot mean religious immunity," challenging whether institutions can shield themselves from accountability—a question gaining prominence as Trey's Law bans nondisclosure agreements in sexual assault cases effective September 2025.
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The Dallas Express NewsReposted by 
wbap.com
wbap.comChurch Autonomy Or Accountability: Clemishire’s Gateway Fight
Cindy Clemishire is asking the Texas Supreme Court to review her defamation lawsuit against former Gateway Church pastor Robert Morris, the church, and former church elders after a Dallas appeals court dismissed nearly all of her claims. Clemishire’s petition also names Morris’ wife, Deborah Morris. The appeals court dismissed all claims against her. Clemishire filed […]
·Dallas, United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources12
Leaning Left2Leaning Right2Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution56% Center
Bias Distribution
- 56% of the sources are Center
56% Center
L 22%
C 56%
R 22%
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