A pair of hearings on Friday morning could determine whether defendants in a civil defamation lawsuit filed against Gateway Church and its founding pastor, Robert Morris, will have to face trial.
Judge Emily Tobolowsky has motions from the church, Robert Morris, his wife, Debbie and a group of current and former elders and staff, asking to be dismissed from the suit.
The case, brought by Cindy Clemishire and her father, seeks $1 million. Attorneys for Clemishire want to proceed with discovery, allowing them to gather evidence.
Morris pleaded guilty to lewd and indecent conduct
Clemishire accused Robert Morris of sexual abuse, starting when she was a 12-year-old girl in Oklahoma. Morris pleaded guilty to five counts of lewd and indecent conduct in an Oklahoma court on Oct. 2…