This case presents constitutional, evidentiary, and jury instruction issues arising from the trial of tort claims brought against a religious institution and one of its former pastors. The plaintiffs, a mother and her son, filed suit against their former church and the pastor, alleging a variety of tortious offenses stemming from the pastor's conduct during counseling sessions with the son. The trial court allowed a jury to consider the claims, and the jury returned several verdicts for the plaintiffs. In a divided opinion, the Colorado Court of Appeals reversed the judgment entered on the verdicts and remanded the case for a new trial. DeBose v. Bear Valley Church of Christ, 890 P.2d 214, 218, 231 (Colo. App. 1994). We granted certiorari and now reverse the judgment of the court of appeals and remand with directions to reinstate the trial court's judgment.
