A federal judge has ruled that an arbitration panel made up of Scientology members—and not a government-run court—will hear a lawsuit filed by ex-followers who lodged human trafficking claims against the church. The Tampa Bay Times reports that the plaintiffs argued they could not get a fair hearing from devotees who consider them “suppressive persons” under church doctrine, but the judge sad the arbitration agreements they signed years ago are enforceable. “We won,” Scientology spokesperson Ben Shaw said. “This decision is another victory for the Church. The judge has rejected plaintiffs bringing false and scurrilous allegations against the Church in court.”
