Legal Question in Legal Ethics in Maryland

My ex-wife's mother is a pastor and the daughter brought a protective order against me saying that I molested my children. The judge did not uphold the order but during that trial the pastor (mother-in-law) of the church that I used to go to testified against me and said some things that were said in a private counselling session. Also, they had members from the church that she pastors and I used to go to write notorized letters about me molesting my children. None of it was true and the situation was not upheld in court. Do I have grounds for a defamation of character lawsuit against the church or the pastor?


Asked on 4/28/10, 9:11 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Cedulie Laumann Arden Law Firm, LLC

Generally speaking, allegations made in court cannot give rise to a defamation claim. This is because the law affords certain privileges for testimony and other statements made in the course of a lawsuit or court proceeding.

You may want to consult with an attorney to discuss any potential claim(s) you may have related to this set of facts.

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Answered on 5/03/10, 1:00 pm


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