Arizona clergy not required to report child abuse in confessions, court rules
August 16, 2026 at 1:08 AM MT · via The Guardian · Summarized by Mormon News from original reporting

The Guardian reports on the Arizona Supreme Court's ruling that clergy who learn of child abuse in confessions are not required to report it to authorities. The unanimous decision held that religious confession privileges override mandatory reporting laws. The case involved a Mormon bishop who did not report a father's confession of sexually abusing his daughter. Civil liberties and religious freedom advocates supported the ruling; child protection groups opposed it.
More coverage of this story
- YouTube / Alyssa Grenfell →August 12, 2026 at 2:23 PM MT
- azcentral.com and The Arizona Republic →August 5, 2026 at 1:00 AM MT
- Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests →August 4, 2026 at 1:00 AM MT
- FLOODLIT →July 30, 2026 at 8:05 PM MT
- FLOODLIT →July 28, 2026 at 1:35 PM MT
- The Salt Lake Tribune →August 5, 2026 at 1:00 AM MT
- Sokolove Law →August 11, 2026 at 12:19 PM MT
- National Secular Society →August 18, 2026 at 4:48 AM MT
- The Boston Pilot →August 18, 2026 at 2:38 PM MT
Mormon News summarizes reporting from established outlets and always links to the original. See an error? Report it.
Related coverage
- Utah abortion politics intensifies as gender divides deepen over courts, representation
via The New York Times · September 13, 2026
- Bear Bachmeier throws 3 TDs as No. 15 BYU beats Arizona 28-17
via KUTV 2 · September 13, 2026
- Oregon transfer Kyler Kasper makes BYU debut with two touchdown catches
via Deseret News · September 13, 2026
- BYU rallies past Arizona 28-17 after trailing at halftime
via The Salt Lake Tribune · September 13, 2026
From the Mormon News Podcast
- LDS Church Caught Lying, Charlie Bird Breaking Point, Bishop Charged - Mormon News 9.4.26 | Ep. 2189
Full episode and transcript · September 4, 2026
- Bloomberg Exposes Mormon Land Empire, Baseball Baptisms & More - Mormon News 8.28.26 | Ep. 2187
Full episode and transcript · August 28, 2026