CO Court Dismisses Pastor's Defamation Claim

Yesterday in Seefried v. Hummel, a Colorado Court of Appeals dismissed claims of defamation and interference with business relationships growing out of statements made at a meeting convened by a church and its board for church members to discuss whether plaintiff should be terminated as the church's pastor. The court found that this case came within the well-accepted doctrine that the First Amendment precludes a court from exercising jurisdiction over claims concerning a religious institution's activities on matters of religious doctrine or authority.