Cindy Clemishire, the woman who has accused Robert Morris, the founding pastor of Southlake-based Gateway Church, of sexual abuse when she was a child, has filed a lawsuit against the megachurch, Morris, and his wife. The lawsuit, which was submitted in Dallas County, cites defamation among several allegations, including failure to report the alleged abuse.
In her legal filing, Clemishire and her father highlight a previous statement made by Morris, where he acknowledged the abuse allegations, referring to Clemishire as a “young lady.” This statement was distributed to Gateway staff shortly after the allegations against Morris surfaced last year, indicating that he stepped away from ministry as part of a “restoration process” after the abuse claims were reported to her parents in the late 1980s.
Morris claims to have returned to ministry with the blessing of Clemishire’s father, but the lawsuit contradicts that assertion. The legal documents state, “The Clemishire family never forgave Defendant Robert Morris for the horrific sexual assault and rape that Defendant Robert Morris perpetrated on Plaintiff, Cindy Clemishire.”
The lawsuit also alleges that Morris, his wife, Gateway Church, and its elders profited financially by concealing the known details of the abuse claims against Morris. Furthermore, it accuses the parties of acting with “actual malice.”
As of now, Gateway Church has refrained from commenting on the case to KERA News, and Morris’ attorney did not respond to requests for comments.
The civil suit encompasses multiple accusations, including defamation, libel, slander, failure to report the alleged abuse, civil conspiracy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and unjust enrichment.
This legal action arises amidst a criminal case against Morris regarding the same abuse claims, which is currently ongoing in Oklahoma. In June of 2024, Clemishire publicly accused Morris, now 63, of sexually abusing her when she was just 12 years old, an ordeal that she states lasted over four years.
Morris’s resignation from Gateway Church followed his admission of an “inappropriate relationship” with Clemishire. In a further development, Morris has been indicted in Osage County on five counts of lewd or indecent acts to a child related to the allegations.
Last November, Gateway Church announced that it had removed elders and leaders who had knowledge of the alleged abuse during a four-month internal investigation. By the end of 2024, only three elders remained at the church.
Alongside the defamation lawsuit, Morris is embroiled in a separate legal dispute with Gateway concerning the amount of money he should receive as part of his retirement pay. Gateway Church contends that Morris requested an upfront payment of $1 million, followed by $800,000 annually until he turns 70, and $600,000 annually for the remainder of his life and his wife’s life after his resignation. However, the church is withholding these funds due to the ongoing sexual abuse claims.
Morris’ attorneys maintain that the church forced him out and that Gateway lied about the extent of their awareness regarding the alleged abuse. They assert that church elders had knowledge of the situation for nearly two decades before Clemishire went public.
In a formal court filing, Morris acknowledged having a “highly inappropriate relationship” with Clemishire in the 1980s, adding that he is now facing the criminal repercussions of those actions in court.
As the case progresses, the lawsuit seeks civil damages exceeding $1 million.
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