A Texas appeals court has ruled that Houston pastor Ralph Douglas West II will not have to pay $2.45 million to a woman who sued him in 2023 for allegedly infecting her with genital herpes in a case that initially sent shock waves across the internet.
The 14th District Houston, Texas, appellate court reversed a $2.45 million judgment against West, an assistant pastor at The Church Without Walls, on June 26, 2025. The court ruled that his accuser, identified only as D.C., failed to provide required medical expert testimony to establish that the man of God was indeed the one who gave her genital herpes. Therefore, the court ruled that D.C. had no right to collect on the massive payment.
This appellate decision overturned the October 2023 jury verdict in Harris County, Texas, where West had been found liable for battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and fraudulent concealment. The jury had awarded D.C. $1,450,000 in compensatory damages and $1,000,000 in exemplary/punitive damages. The original lawsuit alleged that West had knowingly infected the woman with genital herpes after lying to her about his STD status during their relationship in March 2018.
At the time of the initial verdict, the publicly unidentified woman testified that she developed a herpes outbreak shortly after having unprotected sex with West, who has been in ministry for more than 20 years. Court documents presented during the 2023 trial reportedly included statements from West indicating he had been infected by his son’s mother.
West, son of prominent minister Dr. Ralph Douglas West, apparently remains in active ministry as a Campus Minister (Eldridge), according to The Church Without Walls’ website.
