• Key point. A church is not necessarily liable for assaults that occur on its premises unless it knew or should have known that the offender was likely to engage in such acts.
A South Carolina court ruled that a church was not liable for injuries sustained by a person when he was attacked on church property. A church owned an apartment complex that is used as low income housing. Despite the fact that the apartment building was in a high-crime area, and church leaders were aware of numerous incidents of criminal behavior occurring within the building, the church did not provide a security guard. A man (the "victim") was injured when he was attacked while visiting a friend in the apartment building. The victim sued the church, claiming that it was responsible for his injuries on the basis of negligence. A state appeals court disagreed. The court observed:
A [property] owner has a duty ...
Join now to access this member-only content
Become a Member
Already a member? Log in for full access.
Related ResourcesVisit Store
Managing Church Facility Use
Find insights to equip your church to host members and strangers.
Avoiding Church Lawsuits
Create proactive procedures to avoid common reasons why churches most often go to court.
Understanding Church Insurance
Understand your church's insurance needs to be assured you have adequate coverage.
Planning a Church Building Project
Learn about zoning laws, property sales, church construction, financing, and more.
