Robert Morris, founder of Gateway Church, has requested that a Dallas County court dismiss a $1 million defamation lawsuit filed by Cindy Clemishire. The motion follows Morris’s guilty plea to sexually abusing Clemishire in the 1980s, starting when she was just 12. He received a six-month jail sentence, restitution payments, and must now register as a sex offender.
Morris argues the case is a religious matter, protected by the First Amendment, and should not be tried in a secular court. His legal team cites the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine, which shields religious institutions from court intervention in matters of internal governance and doctrine.
Clemishire Pushes Back on Religious Defense
Clemishire and her father filed the lawsuit in June, accusing Morris and Gateway leadership of mischaracterizing the abuse as a “moral failure” involving a “young lady.” She claims this language was misleading and defamatory, made intentionally to downplay the sexual assault of a child.
Clemishire argues that her lawsuit focuses on criminal conduct and civil defamation, rather than theological interpretation. “This case is about secular facts,” she wrote in her rebuttal, rejecting the church’s attempt to invoke First Amendment protections.
Church Leaders Deny Allegations
Several current and former Gateway elders, along with Morris’s wife, are named in the suit and have denied the allegations. Gateway Church also filed its own motion to dismiss the case in August and submitted further support last week, arguing the claims fall under protected church communications.
Attorney Ron Breaux, representing Gateway, acknowledged the abuse but stated the lawsuit is “not about that abuse,” emphasizing constitutional concerns over church autonomy.
Ongoing Legal Battles and Public Scrutiny
Clemishire’s attorney, Alex Yaffe, expressed frustration with procedural delays. He emphasized the desire to move forward with holding Morris and church leaders accountable. Meanwhile, Gateway Church is also facing a separate financial fraud lawsuit filed by former members.
Dallas County Judge Emily Tobolowsky is expected to rule on Morris’s motion this week.
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Robert Morris Asks Court to Dismiss Cindy Clemishire’s $1 Million Defamation Lawsuit
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