Johnny Hunt/SBC trial on hold for now

NASHVILLE (BP)—In an order issued May 12, Judge William L. Campbell Jr. announced the jury trial in the lawsuit brought by Johnny Hunt against the Southern Baptist Convention and others has been canceled. The trial was set to begin June 17.

Campbell stated his decision was “due to the parties’ pending motions to reconsider.”

The judge issued a summary judgment last month dismissing all but one count in the lawsuit. That lone count concerned a 2022 social media post by then-SBC President Bart Barber, pastor of First Baptist Church in Farmersville, about the allegations against Hunt.

Hunt, a former SBC president, prominent Georgia pastor and North American Mission Board vice president, was seeking more than $100 million, claiming lost salary and speaking engagements, reputational harm and emotional distress.

The case stemmed from Guidepost Solutions’ report in May 2022, which was the result of an independent investigation requested by Southern Baptists at the 2021 SBC Annual Meeting to look into allegations of mishandling cases of sexual abuse within the convention.

An incident involving Hunt and a younger pastor’s wife was discovered during Guidepost’s investigation and included in its report.

In his initial summary judgment, Campbell wrote Guidepost’s report did not intentionally single Hunt out but addressed issues of public concern.

The report “… relates to broad issues of interest to society at large, rather than matters of purely private concern,” he wrote.

“Specifically, the issues the Report highlights—allegations of sexual abuse involving clergy members and how allegations of such abuse were handled—are matters of public import.”

He also wrote a jury could not find “that Guidepost failed to act with reasonable care” in its investigation and Hunt had failed to provide evidence of “mental and emotional injuries.”

The court will set a new trial date and pretrial filing deadlines by a separate order, Campbell wrote.