The pastor of my church had an affair with my wife, can I sue the church for damages?

Get Legal Help Today

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

The pastor of my church had an affair with my wife, can I sue the church for damages?

I have therapy bills, psychiatry bills, anti-depressant bills, all of which came about directly as the result of this. I discovered the affair through text messages between them and I have a copies.

Asked on July 31, 2018 under Personal Injury, California

Answers:

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 5 years ago | Contributor

No, you may not sue the church: an employer is not responsible or liable for an employee's acts which  are outside his job duties and responsibilities, and it is not part of a pastor's job description to have affairs with a parishoner's wife.
And more generally, your state (CA) does not allow what were traditionally titled "alienation of affection" lawsuits at all: you cannot sue because someone had an affair with a spouse.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption