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Arizona Supreme Court Rules Clergy Exempt From Reporting Child Abuse Disclosed in Confession
Just the facts
The Arizona Supreme Court issued a decision upholding clergy-penitent privilege in child abuse cases disclosed during religious confession. The ruling centers on a case where two Mormon bishops refrained from reporting the abuse of three children after learning of it during confidential spiritual counseling. Justices determined that existing Arizona statutory exemptions protect religious confession confidentiality from mandatory abuse reporting requirements. The decision establishes legal precedent in the state regarding the scope of mandatory reporting laws for religious leadership.
Why this is news
The Arizona Supreme Court ruled that clergy members are not legally required to report child abuse learned during religious confessions. The decision stems from a legal case involving two bishops who did not report the abuse of three children by Mormon parents.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.