Woman's lawsuit against pastor to proceed

[PfcHammer]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/2626566

June 14, 2004, 3:11PM
Woman's lawsuit against pastor to proceed
Associated Press

FORT WORTH -- An appeals court says a woman can proceed with her lawsuit against her pastor, who is accused of sharing what she said in private counseling sessions with church elders and the congregation.

The 2nd Court of Appeals in Fort Worth ruled that Peggy Penley can sue the Rev. C.L. "Buddy" Westbrook, challenging his actions as a counselor under the Texas Licensed Professional Counselor Act.

"He took the information he got as her secular counselor and then used it as her pastor to put a scarlet letter on her," Darrell Keith, Penley's attorney, said in today's Fort Worth Star-Telegram, referring to Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic novel about morality and infidelity.

In 2002 a judge threw out Penley's lawsuit accusing Westbrook, the church and its elders of defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy and negligence.

[Ilsa]

1. Good for her.

She trusted him as her counselor and he betrayed her confidence. No one should trust anything personal to him again, and this lawsuit will get the word out that he shouldn't be counseling anyone. I wonder how much gossip he coaxed out of her under "duress".

[Djinn]

2. while I agree the info should have been confidential

would you really think you were getting independant, secular advice from the pastor at your local community church?