A lawsuit filed by a survivor of sexual assault has been dismissed by an appeals court. The survivor, Cindy Clemishire, alleged defamation by Gateway Church and its leaders. She claimed the church misrepresented the abuse she suffered, which began when she was 12 years old.

The founder of Gateway Church, Robert Morris, pleaded guilty to charges related to the abuse and served time in jail. He and his wife are also defendants in the lawsuit, but the recent ruling does not appear to affect them. The appeals court cited a principle known as ecclesiastical abstention in its decision to dismiss the lawsuit.

Further details about the case and the court's ruling are available from the source.