NASHVILLE (BP) — Federal Judge William Campbell has granted the defense’s request and dropped all but one claim in Johnny Hunt’s lawsuit against the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), the SBC Executive Committee (EC) and Guidepost Solutions.

“We are grateful for this decision and the forward progress in our legal process,” said Jeff Iorg, SBC Executive Committee president.

The only charge left standing against the SBC is related to a tweet Hunt claims defamed him.

The judge’s full order reads:

“Pending before the Court are Defendants’ motions for summary judgment (Doc. Nos. 216, 222, 229), which are fully briefed. For the reasons stated in the forthcoming Memorandum, the motions for summary judgment are GRANTED IN PART as follows: Guidepost’s motion is GRANTED as to all claims. The motions by the Southern Baptist Convention (“SBC”) and the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention (“Executive Committee”) are GRANTED as to the claims for false light (Count III), public disclosure of embarrassing private facts (Count VI), negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress (Counts IV and V), and the defamation claim (Count I) arising out of the Report and the Letter. SBC and the Executive Committee’s motion are DENIED as to the defamation claim (Count I) based on the Tweet.
“It is so ORDERED.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Brandon Porter serves as vice president for communications at the SBC Executive Committee.)