Scientology reveals its long-range strategy against the Jane Doe 1 forced marriage lawsuit

We told you it was pretty predictable that Scientology would respond to Jane Doe 1’s forced marriage lawsuit by digging up a contract she signed in 2002 that they say obliges her to take her case to Scientology’s own internal “religious arbitration.”

Jane Doe 1 fired back with a lengthy account of why the 2002 contract should not be considered valid, and we expect the fight over that question will consume this lawsuit for the time being. (Scientology wants the lawsuit put on hold until next May when the motion on arbitration can be addressed.)

Scientology is in the habit of throwing such roadblocks at lawsuits filed by former members. In Leah Remini’s case, for example, the church said it will be filing an anti-SLAPP motion next week. When Scientology filed an anti-SLAPP motion in Monique Rathbun’s 2013 harassment lawsuit, it held up the case for more than an entire year.

Scientology has also talked about filing an anti-SLAPP motion in the Bixler lawsuit filed by Danny Masterson’s victims.

And now, in a footnote in an obligatory document the church was required to file this week, we get a glimpse of even more roadblocks it plans to throw at the Jane Doe 1 lawsuit (and might also provide a preview of what Leah Remini can expect in hers).

Buried in a seven-page Case Management Statement, Scientology’s attorneys revealed this upcoming plan for bogging down the Jane Doe 1 lawsuit:

The party or parties expect to file the following motions before trial: Motion to Compel Arbitration. In the event this matter proceeds in this Court, Defendants Church of Scientology International (“CSI”) and Bridge Publications Inc. (“BPI”) anticipate filing a demurrer, a motion to strike, and a summary judgment motion.

Similar statements were also submitted for the Religious Technology Center and for defendant Gavin Potter. (Nothing was submitted on behalf of Scientology leader David Miscavige because he has not been deemed served with the lawsuit yet.)

So, Scientology has filed its motion for arbitration and probably thinks it’s going to win it. But just in case that motion fails, they have three other ways to bog down the lawsuit waiting in the wings: a demurrer, a motion to strike, and a summary judgment motion.

We’ve seen a demurrer before, in Danny Masterson’s criminal and civil cases. It’s a kind of pleading where the defendant, rather than arguing the truth of the allegations, is asking the court, “so what?” In other words, challenging whether the lawsuit should go forward even if the underlying facts are true.

We’ve also recently seen a motion to strike, in the Bixler case, where Scientology is objecting to references to its “Fair Game” retaliation policy being a part of the lawsuit.

And of course we’ve seen some pretty dramatic summary judgment hearings, two of them in the Laura DeCrescenzo lawsuit that were both unsuccessful for Scientology and resulted in the church coughing up a big settlement to prevent trial.

So, in other words, Scientology has revealed that it plans to use all of the tricks in its arsenal to keep Jane Doe 1 from getting her day in court, and will probably throw a similar set of roadblocks at the Leah Remini lawsuit.

As L. Ron Hubbard instructed in what is literally Scientology scripture, the church will make any case an expensive slog for former Scientologists looking for justice.

 
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Technology Cocktail

“We have known since ‘55 that rough auditing reduces havingness. Here’s why: Rough auditing lowers the pc’s ability to confront in the session. The pc’s havingness is proportional to his ability to confront in the session. If a pc’s havingness by can squeeze test is lower at session end than at beginning on Routine 2, then there’s something wrong with the auditing or with the way Routine 2 is being applied.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1962

THE PROSECUTION OF DANNY MASTERSON

We first broke the news of the LAPD’s investigation of Scientology celebrity Danny Masterson on rape allegations in 2017, and we’ve been covering the story every step of the way since then. At this page we’ve collected our most important links as Danny faces a potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison. NOW WITH TRIAL INDEX.

 
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THE PODCAST: How many have you heard?

[1] Marc Headley [2] Claire Headley [3] Jeffrey Augustine [4] Bruce Hines [5] Sunny Pereira [6] Pete Griffiths [7] Geoff Levin [8] Patty Moher [9] Marc Headley [10] Jefferson Hawkins [11] Michelle ‘Emma’ Ryan [12] Paulette Cooper [13] Jesse Prince [14] Mark Bunker [15] Jon Atack [16] Mirriam Francis [17] Bruce Hines on MSH

— SPECIAL: The best TV show on Scientology you never got to see

[1] Phil Jones [2] Derek Bloch [3] Carol Nyburg [4] Katrina Reyes [5] Jamie DeWolf

— The first Danny Masterson trial and beyond

[18] Trial special with Chris Shelton [19] Trial week one [20] Marc Headley on the spy in the hallway [21] Trial week two [22] Trial week three [23] Trial week four [24] Leah Remini on LAPD Corruption [25] Mike Rinder 2022 Thanksgiving Special [26] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part One [27] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part Two [28] Claire Headley on the trial [29] Tory Christman [30] Bruce Hines on spying [31] Karen de la Carriere [32] Ron Miscavige on Shelly Miscavige [33] Karen de la Carriere on the L’s [34] Mark Bunker on Miscavige hiding [35] Mark Plummer [36] Mark Ebner [37] Karen Pressley [38] Steve Cannane [39] Fredrick Brennan [40] Clarissa Adams [41] Louise Shekter [42] John Sweeney [43] Tory Christman [44] Kate Bornstein [45] Christian Stolte [46] Mark Bunker [47] Jon Atack [48] Luke Y. Thompson [49] Mark Ebner [50] Bruce Hines [51] Spanky Taylor and Karen Pressley [51] Geoff and Robbie Levin [52] Sands Hall [53] Jonny Jacobsen [54] Sandy Holeman

 
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Source Code

“Before we developed a good port PRO [Public Relations Officer] actions and good local area PRO actions, were very often in trouble. We were in trouble in the most remarkable ways. But it wasn’t really Scientologists that got us into trouble. The biggest amount of trouble that happened in Spain was a commercial licensed engineer who turned homo and was that way with hired Spanish hands who then went to the police and complained about this English engineer. And he was dismissed and the whole thing was handled. But it still sits in the office of information in Spain. See? Not as a handled situation but that there’s something, you know? And they’re having a lot of trouble lately with hippies. They aren’t counting the communists that they’ve got in their midst — Minister of Defense, Minister of Shipping, Franco’s first adjutant, second aide, Chamberlain — they aren’t counting these guys, they’ve gotta get these hippies. You see it has no political sense at all. If you knocked off every hippie in Spain you would not have strengthened its political position a minute.” — L. Ron Hubbard, October 21, 1969

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“GEOFF BARNES is to assign himself a suitable condition for negligence while QM resulting in the injury of VIXIE. The gangway was off its slide board showing negligence as QM, the spring lines of the vessel slack and untended showing neglect of duty and the accident was not logged by him. The surges of the ship unrestrained by lines caused the gangway which had no board under it to trip on the railroad track on upend while Vixie was coming aboard, throwing her to the deck, seriously spraining her leg. Geoff Barnes beginning at midnight is to stand the next 24 hours of gangway duty without relief and starrate the QM pack within 10 days. He is transferred to the deck force where, he can become more experienced.” — The Commodore, October 21, 1969

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Overheard in the FreeZone

“All the promises of people on this planet are vapor. Except LRH. After millions or trillions of years of being lied to, he’s the one guy who ever told me the truth. You think I’m not gonna follow that guy? Ha! If I was ever going to be loyal to anyone, it’d be Ron.”

 
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Past is Prologue

2000: Keith Henson posted a document he filed in his criminal case, in which he is accused of making bomb threats against Scientology’s Gold Base. The affidavit describes an incident in which a Scientology PI attempted to run him over with a car. “On July 2, Scientology assigned Edwin Richardson and Frank Petty to harass me while picketing. They chased me across Highway 79 several times. I stopped a number of cars and asked that they call 911. Tape of this incident was later shown to the Highway Patrol who concluded that I was trying to escape from Richardson and Petty and not jaywalking. I have a number of tapes which I made of them verbally abusing me, making implied death threats and threats against my daughter. A transcript of one of those tapes and the tape itself was turned over to Lt. Tony Greer at the Hemet Sheriff’s station. On Sept. 17th I was picked up by Brent Stone in the parking lot of Stators at the corner of State and Stetson in Hemet, CA. Frank Petty was tailing Mr. Stone and had stopped in the parking lot near the south exit of the lot. As I got out of the car with my camcorder and started to cross the driveway to get closer to Mr. Petty’s car, Mr. Petty pulled out and aimed his car directly at me, hitting the accelerator after he turned North.”

Random Howdy

“Do you really think a guy who texts ‘YSCOHB’ to people has the self awareness to realize that Kirstie is making his business look bad?”

 
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Found guilty on two counts on May 31, remanded to custody. Sentenced to 30 years to life on Sep 7.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Next pretrial hearing October 30.
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud.

Civil litigation:
— Leah Remini v. Scientology, alleging ‘Fair Game’ harassment and defamation: Complaint filed August 2, Scientology submitting anti-SLAPP response Oct 26.
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to arbitration. Plaintiffs allowed interlocutory appeal to Eleventh Circuit.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Discovery phase.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration.
— Chiropractors Steve Peyroux and Brent Detelich, stem cell fraud: Ordered to mediation.

 
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SCIENTOLOGY: FAIR GAME

After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.

LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH

An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.

SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z

Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

 
Other links: SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks. Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society. Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in a weekly series. How many have you read?

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Danny Masterson attorney crosses Jane Doe 1 while avoiding the ‘Scientology elephant’
[TWO years ago] How Scientology broke my spirit with its insidious methods of thought reform
[THREE years ago] SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Aussies bow to Tommy Davis, but he can’t kill ‘dirt file’ story
[FOUR years ago] David Miscavige at Scientology’s IAS event: What he claims, and what’s really going on
[FIVE years ago] Scientology and hurricanes: Providing storms of comic relief in one disaster after another
[SIX years ago] KID CORPS: Scientology’s internal documents lay out its disturbing ideas about children
[SEVEN years ago] TOM CRUISE PENTHOUSE IN SCIENTOLOGY’S SPIRITUAL MECCA? WE HAVE THE PLANS
[EIGHT years ago] Laura DeCrescenzo answers Scientology ‘religion’ gambit on eve of key hearing
[NINE years ago] Vance Woodward files motion to reconsider his dismissed lawsuit against Scientology
[TEN years ago] The Flaw In Scientology’s Religious Outrage Theory: A Man Named Steven Gregory Sloat
[ELEVEN years ago] Sunday Funnies: Let’s Put Scientology Kids to Work!

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on October 21, 2023 at 07:00

E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.

Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.

The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2022 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2022), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)

Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 15 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ

Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…

Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.

Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele

 

Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast

 

Tony Ortega at Rolling Stone