Carrieri v. Bush

James Carrieri (plaintiff) and his wife, Inga, were seemingly happily married for four years when they moved near Arnold Bush’s (defendant) church. Initially, they attended church together, but James stopped because he disagreed with Bush’s preaching style. Inga continued and began spending increasing time at church activities with Bush and the other church elders (defendants). Church elders, including Bush, regularly gave Inga rides to and from church activities. When Bush brought Inga home one day, there was a verbal altercation between him and James. James accused Bush of keeping Inga away from her family and asked Bush not to pick her up anymore. Bush said James was full of the devil and demanded that Inga not listen him. Sometime later, James and Inga decided to work on their marriage and decided that she would leave the church. When Inga tried to tell Bush, Bush convinced her that she could not leave or she would go to hell. Inga continued attending church and church activities, against James’s wishes. At one point, she moved out of the home, and church elders would not tell James where she was. James also overheard church elders advising her to divorce him. James sued Bush and the church elders for alienation of affection. Inga filed for divorce, which was granted. The trial court subsequently heard evidence on James’s case. Bush and the church elders claimed that they had merely been providing religious teachings to Inga. The trial court dismissed James’s case.