State supreme court rules in case of two bishops who were silent about three children abused by Mormon parents
Clergy members in Arizona who learn of child abuse in the context of religious confession are not required to report it, the state’s supreme court has said in a ruling that protects what church leaders call the “seal of the confessional”.
The panel’s ruling ends a long-running case in which three children who were sexually abused by their parents sued the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), also known as the Mormon church, and two bishops who became aware of the crimes but remained silent.
The case has parallels in a short-lived 2025 law in Washington state that would have compelled clergy members there to report sexual abuse. That proposal was permanently withdrawn in October after legal action by the Catholic church.
In a statement, the LDS welcomed the unanimous ruling by the state supreme court on Thursday that exempts clergy members as “mandated reporters” if they learned of the abuse of minors in the confession booth or through other “confidential” methods.
The key difference is that lawyers and psychologists have a duty to report if they believe the person is likely to commit a future crime, depending on the severity of the crime.
This is protecting a priest from a duty to report even violent crimes that lawyers and doctors would be required to report, simply because some people believe that the priests would be excluded from heaven for reporting.
EDIT: It doesn’t even prevent priests from going to heaven, only excommunicates them from the church. They could still repent and go to heaven.