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Child safeguarding · Claim record

The Delaware Attorney General sued the Laurel congregation and two of its elders, alleging that they had failed to report a sexual relationship between an adult woman and a 14-year-old member; the Superior Court refused to dismiss the case on the elders’ ‘priest and penitent’ privilege argument, and the case was reported to have settled in 2018 without any finding against them.

Claim ID claim-safeguarding-delaware-laurel-caseConcerns 26 January 2016Outcome
Outcome · 26 January 2016 Supported

The Delaware Attorney General sued the Laurel congregation and two of its elders, alleging that they had failed to report a sexual relationship between an adult woman and a 14-year-old member; the Superior Court refused to dismiss the case on the elders’ ‘priest and penitent’ privilege argument, and the case was reported to have settled in 2018 without any finding against them. State of Delaware v. Laurel Delaware Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses and two elders (C.A. No. N14C-05-122 MMJ), 26 January 2016

The organisation’s position or later explanation: The elders argued Delaware's reporting law exempted communications 'between priest and penitent in a sacramental confession'.

Show the evidence (1 source)
Official public record Supported

State of Delaware v. Laurel Delaware Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses and two elders (C.A. No. N14C-05-122 MMJ), “State of Delaware v. Laurel Delaware Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, Joel Mulchansingh and William Perkins (C.A. No. N14C-05-122 MMJ)”

26 January 2016 · Judge Mary M. Johnston · Delaware Superior Court (listed on Justia)

“between priest and penitent in a sacramental confession”

The wording of Delaware's reporting-law exemption (16 Del. C. s. 909) on which the elders relied. The State alleged two elders learned in January 2013 of a sexual relationship between an adult woman and a 14-year-old congregant and did not call the child-abuse report line. The court denied the defendants' motion for summary judgment (AP, 4 February 2016), leaving factual issues for trial. The case was reported to have settled in January 2018; the settlement terms have not been verified from a court record and are not published here.

Official source Link not auto-checkable

Provenance and verification note

Confidence note. The opinion could not be opened (Justia blocks automated fetches); the filing, the privilege argument and the January 2016 ruling are confirmed by two AP reports (Fox News 4 Feb 2016; NBC10 Philadelphia 7 Sept 2017) that were opened. The settlement terms are unverified.

Notes. The full case caption, which names the two elders, is recorded in the court record; this site cites the case by its short form.

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-de-2016-0126-state-v-laurel-congregation

Claim page

A direct link to this claim is https://jwtruth.org/evidence/claim-safeguarding-delaware-laurel-case/. Every source above opens the original document or the best available copy. If you believe the wording, date or context is wrong, report an error.