Child Abuse Confessed to Clergy Protected by Confessional Privilege

Arizona’s highest court has upheld a law allowing religious bodies to refuse to hand over documents or answer questions in child abuse cases if the crime was learned in a confessional setting.

A group of child abuse victims sued the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, two Mormon bishops and other church members, accusing them of conspiracy and negligence for not reporting abuse committed by a church member named Paul Adams.

Adams, who had committed suicide after being arrested in 2017, sexually abused his children for several years, going as far as posting videos of his disturbing actions online.

In an April 7 ruling publicly released Tuesday, the Arizona Supreme Court sided with the LDS Church, arguing that the refusal to report abuse by Adams was covered by confessional privilege, reports The Associated Press. (Excerpt from The Christian Post.)