WASHINGTON STATE – An agreement has been reached between Catholic priests and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to allow priests to maintain the confidentiality of confessions.

This resolves a lawsuit against the state of Washington regarding a law that would have required religious leaders to act as mandatory reporters, potentially breaking the seal of confession.

Washington Attorney General Nick Brown stated that the law will go into effect but will include an exception for confessions. This development follows a temporary injunction granted by a federal judge in Seattle last summer against enforcing the law.

The agreement underscores the ongoing balance between legal obligations and religious practices. By allowing this exception, the state acknowledges the importance of religious free

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