A federal judge has halted a Washington state law that required Catholic priests to break the seal of confession. The law ...

As written, the law is “neither neutral nor generally applicable” insofar as it “treats religious activity less favorably ...

A judge halted a Washington law from taking effect that would compel clergy to report child abuse or neglect, no matter how ...

The State arguably could have chosen a less restrictive means of advancing its interest in protecting children from abuse and ...

Catholic priests in Washington cannot be required to report child abuse or neglect they learn of in confession, a federal ...

Last month, the Justice Department filed legal action against the State of Washington over Washington Senate Bill 5375, which requires members of the clergy to report known child abuse.

"The text of the bill and its legislative history arguably evince the intentional abrogation of a practice that the ...

U.S. District Judge David Estudillo ruled that the new law, previously set to take effect July 27, singled out clergy for breaking a vow of silence while allowing other professionals to maintain a ...

A federal court on July 18 temporarily blocked a new law in Washington state requiring clergy to report child abuse or neglect without exceptions for clergy-penitent privilege.

Clergy members will not have to choose between their vocation and jail time, for now.

Lawyers representing the Catholic bishops of Washington have asked a federal judge to block the state's recently passed ...

Though the judge has not issued his final ruling, he indicated he is likely to issue an injunction against Washington's law ...