The pastor of my church had an affair with my wife, can I sue the church for damages?
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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 6 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.
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