just because she was a former member? Did she sign something that says she agrees not to sue or something?

I've looked this up on line and its pretty clear... she can't sue if nothing illegal is being done.

I'm just wondering if I can sue them.

To my knowledge, even lawsuits arising from wrongful excommunications have been unsuccessful in court.

There seem to be altogether too many religious organizations that encourage people to shun family members because of religious differences.

How very "godly" of your daughter and her religious organization.

About your question: call your county bar association and ask if they have a lawyer referral service. For around $60, depending on your location, you may be able to get a half hour consultation with a lawyer.

You could also contact a group like Americans for Religious Liberty. Link: http://www.arlinc.org/about/officers.html

Parents in the 70s tried to sue to get their kids out of cults and failed because the courts are still scared of the Sky Daddy, even if the cults were utterly monstrous like the Jim Jones bunch.

Your daughter is lost to you while she still believes that rubbish. Your best hope is that the pain of separation is greater than the pain of separation from the JWs at some point, especially when her own children start asking if they have a grandma and grandpa.

Excommunication and shunning break up families in a lot of established religions. It's one of the most potent tools they have to keep everybody in line.

It's vile but you'll have to look outside the courts for redress.

Really.... do you want her back? I mean, SHE has a choice, y'know.

Just because people are family, it doesn't mean you have to love each other or even get along.

A lawsuit just seems like prolonging and exasperating the problem. Move on....

It ignores the bond parents have with their children. You can't just shut it off because some screwball religion finds it inconvenient.

but you can move on.... and deal with it.

It's not the Mother's fault the Daughter is so impossible.

And I still think a lawsuit is prolonging the problem.

let me add this which makes it more complicated... my daughter is actually my step daughter. she lives with her step mother and my wife's first husband in another state. we all lived together and shared custody in Michigan until two years ago when they moved. We had primary custody and at her request, we allowed her to move out of state with her father because she wanted to go out west and promised to stay in contact with us and visit. needless to say she lied. she cut my wife off about a month later.

So it is not like she is all alone and without a family. She turned 18, 6 months ago and is now a legal adult.

but I would think that it would be tilting at windmills. I have no legal expertise, so I have no idea how it would work. But then again, every step in the right direction had to start somewhere. If I were willing to take this to the limit, I would find a lawyer who works for atheist/agnostic rights....but just remember how many years these sort of cases can take.

Remember that it took almost 10 years for the Loving v. Virginia case to be settled in the Supreme Court to allow a black and a white to be legally married.

Www.jehovahswitnessrecovery.com

There maybe some knowledable ex-jdubs that can help you. Also many people there are going through this. The site maybe a great place for you and your wife to help you through this.

I was raised JDub, i left before getting baptized. This religion is really shitty.

My heart goes out to you and your wife.