http://www.jud.state.ct.us/external/supapp/Cases/AROap/AP78/78ap517.pdf State of Connecticut. Superior Court GAIL DECORSO v. WATCHTOWER BIBLE ANDTRACT SOCIETY OF NEW YORK, INC., ET AL.
(AC 22682)
Bishop, Mihalakos and Dupont, Js. Argued April 30?officially released August 19, 2003
(Appeal from Superior Court, judicial district of Waterbury, Holzberg, J.)
John R. Williams , for the appellant (plaintiff). Mario F. Moreno and Charles A. DeLuca , with whom, on the brief, was Dierdre A. Murray , for the appellees (defendants). OpinionDUPONT, J. The plaintiff, Gail DeCorso, appeals from the judgment rendered by the trial court following the
granting of the motion for summary judgment in favor of the defendants
1 as to both counts of the plaintiff?s
complaint, which alleged intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
[...] Throughout her abusive marriage, the plaintiff sought the spiritual counsel of the individual defendant elders
and other elders within the defendant church. In her allegations about her marital situation, she alleges that
at all times the elders counseled her in accordance with Jehovah teachings. Allegedly, at the direction of the
elders, the plaintiff stayed in her abusive marriage and suffered emotional distress separate from the distress
she suffered as a result of her marriage.
[...] The plaintiff claims that because the corporate defendant had a rule that its members could not litigate in civil court, she did not bring her action until her membership in the congregation was terminated, and, therefore, the statute of limitations should have been tolled until her disfellowship in 1996.
Upon review of the record, we conclude that the court correctly determined that it could not consider the plaintiff?s negligent infliction of emotional distress count without excessively entangling itself in matters of the Jehovah religion and burdening the free exercise rights of the defendants. [...] Under both the free exercise clause and the establishment clause, the first amendment prohibits civil courts from resolving disputed issues of religious doctrine and practice.