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Ecclesiastical Abstention Doctrine Does Not Bar Negligent Supervision Claim Against Church

By Howard M. Friedman

In Erdman v. Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church, (WA Ct. App., June 29, 2010), a Washington state appellate court held that the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine does not bar a church employee's claim for negligent supervision and retention claims against a church based on alleged physical intimidation and verbal abuse by its pastor. Plaintiff, a Church elder employed as the Church's Executive for Stewardship, was in a dispute with the pastor over whether tours of religious and historical sites led by him jeopardized the church's tax exempt status. Nor are plaintiff's Title VII claims for sexual harassment. However the court dismissed various other claims by plaintiff.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on July 01, 2010 (boomark / email).