July 17th, 2020

McRaney v. The North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, Inc.

Docket: 19-60293
Opinion Date: July 16, 2020
Judge: Stephen Andrew Higginson
Areas of Law: Civil Procedure, Civil Rights, Constitutional Law

The Fifth Circuit reversed the district court's dismissal for lack of jurisdiction of an action against NAMB for intentional interference with business relationships, defamation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The district court cited the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine and found that it would need to resolve ecclesiastical questions in order to resolve plaintiff's claims. The court held that, at this time, it is not certain that resolution of plaintiff's claims will require the district court to interfere with matters of church government, matters of faith, or matters of doctrine. Accordingly, the court remanded for further proceedings.

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