Courts

Pennsylvania court grants Jehovah's Witness elders a clergy-privilege declaration — because the state never contested it

After nearly six years of litigation, the Commonwealth Court gave the Ivy Hill Congregation the declaration it asked for on 27 February 2026, while expressly declining to decide whether its elders actually qualify for the privilege. Two judges dissented, calling the result "judicial legislation by default."

· February 27, 2026 · 10 min read