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The LDS Church Lawsuit Against Mormon Stories: Timeline, Court Filings & FAQ

Last updated: August 13, 2026

In April 2026, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints filed a federal lawsuit against Mormon Stories Podcast, the Open Stories Foundation, and Dr. John Dehlin, alleging trademark and copyright infringement over the podcast’s use of the word “Mormon” and related branding. Mormon Stories — one of the longest-running independent podcasts covering Mormon culture, history, and lived experience, publishing for more than two decades — filed its answer and counterclaims on June 22, 2026, arguing that the Church is attempting to use intellectual property law to restrict lawful commentary about Mormonism and to control use of a word it publicly abandoned.

This page is the official, continuously updated resource for the case: the timeline, court filings, our public statements, frequently asked questions, related episodes, and press coverage.

The Case at a Glance

Timeline of the Lawsuit

2005 – 2026: Mormon Stories Podcast operates publicly and continuously under its name for more than twenty years, publishing thousands of interviews with current and former Church members, historians, and scholars. During that time, the Church never objects to the podcast’s name or branding — only, at times, to its content and viewpoints.

2018: Church President Russell M. Nelson announces that the terms “Mormon” and “LDS” should no longer be used to refer to the Church, and the Church publicly moves away from “Mormon” branding — while quietly maintaining trademark registrations.

Early 2026: The Church raises intellectual property concerns with Mormon Stories for the first time. In good faith, Mormon Stories makes significant changes requested by the Church — modifying logo colors, adding disclaimers, and removing copyrighted images and design elements. Mediation nonetheless fails.

April 2026: The Church files suit in federal court in Utah, alleging trademark and copyright infringement (read the complaint with exhibits). The story receives national coverage.

June 22, 2026: Mormon Stories and the Open Stories Foundation file their Motion to Dismiss and their Answer and Counterclaims, arguing that the Church expressly abandoned “Mormon” as a trademark, that no one owns the word “Mormon,” and that the lawsuit threatens the free-speech rights of hundreds of independent organizations, businesses, and creators who use the word descriptively. See our press release and detailed Q&A.

August 2026: The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) file amicus (“friend of the court”) briefs in support of Mormon Stories, urging the court to toss out the Church’s lawsuit on free-speech grounds (read the ACLU of Utah brief, the EFF brief, and EFF’s public statement). We discuss the filings in this episode.

This timeline will be updated as the case develops.

Court Filings & Documents

Future filings will be added here as they become available.

Our Public Statements

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the LDS Church suing Mormon Stories?

The Church alleges trademark and copyright infringement over the podcast’s name and branding. Mormon Stories believes the suit is an attempt to use intellectual property law to control the word “Mormon” and restrict lawful commentary about Mormonism — after the podcast operated under the same name, without objection, for more than twenty years.

Doesn’t the Church own the word “Mormon”?

No one owns a word that the public uses to describe a religion, a culture, and a people. Notably, the Church itself publicly abandoned “Mormon” as a brand in 2018, when President Nelson directed that the term no longer be used. Our answer argues the Church cannot abandon a term publicly while wielding trademark registrations to police how others use it.

Didn’t Mormon Stories try to settle this?

Yes. Before litigation, Mormon Stories made numerous changes the Church requested — altering logo colors, adding disclaimers, and removing copyrighted images and design elements. The Church pursued litigation anyway. Details are in our Q&A.

Why does this case matter beyond Mormon Stories?

Hundreds of independent organizations, scholars, publishers, and creators use the word “Mormon” descriptively. If a church can use trademark law to control who may use the common name of a religion, the free-speech implications extend far beyond one podcast — which is why the ACLU and EFF have weighed in on Mormon Stories’ side.

What happens next?

The case is in active litigation in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, where Mormon Stories’ motion to dismiss is pending. We will update this page as the court rules on pending matters and as new filings are made.

Episodes About the Lawsuit

Press Coverage

How You Can Help

Mormon Stories is an independent, listener-supported nonprofit. Defending this lawsuit is expensive, and your support directly sustains our ability to keep publishing honest conversations about Mormonism. If you value this work, please consider giving to the Mormon Stories Legal Defense Fund, making a general donation, or sharing this page.

Media inquiries: please use the contact information in our press release.

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