Washington State agreed on Thursday not to enforce its mandatory reporter law against several Orthodox churches that challenged the law. The law would force priests to report child sex abuse revealed in the confessional.
The Orthodox churches sued Washington State over the law on June 16, as Legal Insurrection reported. The churches argued Washington State’s law burdened their ability to practice their religion since it would compel priests to violate the confessional seal to report child sex abuse.
Legal Insurrection also reported on a May 29 lawsuit by several Catholic bishops and priests in Washington State challenging the same law. The Catholic plaintiffs secured a preliminary injunction on July 18 after a different judge determined they “are likely to succeed on the merits of their Free Exercise Clause challenge.”
The preliminary injunction issued on Friday will “remain in effect until final judgment is entered.” In return, the plaintiff churches agreed to a stay of their lawsuit until the other lawsuit challenging the law is concluded.
The preliminary injunction:
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