Montana News (page 3)

ScenicViewer

Question: Does the plaintiff have the option of appealing back, to a higher court? If so, is there any reason to think it would be worth pursuing?

Tameria2001

I think now their only option would be to plead to the Supreme Court of the United States.

dubstepped

Sickening. Religion has had too much power for far too long.

LV101

So where are the laws protecting the innocent in wonderful Montana? Yeah -- there are none.

Disappointing, yet even though the verdict was overturned, it has been in place since 2018 and it has been established for all to see, that along with many many other court cases, there was abuse that took place and reproach has been brought upon the organization.

If nothing else, the folks at Watchtower had this hanging over their heads for over a year and it cost them a bundle to defend themselves and others were encouraged to come forward as well.

Diogenesister

Tameria20015o

I think now their only option would be to plead to the Supreme Court of the United States

They can appeal the decision of the Montana supreme court, failing that they can then appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States. It's not over till it's over.

I believe they can show Watchtower has paid clergy (Circuit overseer) and Service desk elders, also lawyers etc

I think the main point is that it was not a confession by the perp, but a REPORT by the family who viewed the elders very much as their clergy.

Just because it is watchtower procedure does not make it comparable with normal church confessional. Whether they argue they are clergy or not, the victim has good grounds to do so because Watchtower was indeed malicious in its intent to place it's own reputation above a child's safety.

DATA-DOG

Our justice system is a double-edged sword.

Pro: It cares about what is legal.

Con: It cares about what is legal.

The Montana Law will change when enough people care about ethics and morality and get the laws changed and not before.

DD

JimmyYoung

Its Montana law I doubt the SCOTUS will touch it. It has to be constitutional for them to jump in, its over on this one. But there are more cases in other states. Death by a thousand cuts.

JC323

Montana doesnt have an intermediary appeals court. The Montana Supreme Court is the court that made this decision.

careful

Thanks for the update. As I've said before, some day the SCOTUS is going to have to decide on this clergy-penitent privilege when it comes to reporting CSA, and this Montana example is why. The states are all over the place on the matter. There is no consistency. You would think that some national child rights advocacy group would take this task on ...

Montana News