United States Ninth Circuit

Plaintiff may not file Title VII sexual harassment and retaliation claims against a church involving ministerial employment decisions, which are protected under the ministerial exception; however, she may succeed in these claims if she proves a hostile work environment and that she suffered from retaliatory harassment.

Appellate Information

• Argued 10/08/2003
• Decided 07/23/2004
• Published 07/23/2004

Judges

• Before TROTT, FISHER and GOULD, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Judith A. Lonnquist, Seattle, WA, for the plaintiff-appellant., Gwynne Skinner and Kathy Barnard, Seattle, WA, for amicus curiae Northwest Women's Law Center., Paul Berks, Robert L. Byer, and Thomas R. Johnson, Kirkpatrick & Lockhart, LLP, Pittsburgh, PA, for amicus curiae Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Synod of Alaska Northwest.


• For Appellees:
  
• Elizabeth K. Reeve, Reeve Shima, P.C., Seattle, WA, for the defendants-appellees.