Portland Pastor Loses Defamation Case Over “Deadbeat Dad” Label
In a Portland federal courtroom, a half-day trial between two non-lawyers played out more like a daytime TV courtroom drama than a typical civil case. On one side sat Mervin W. January, 55, a Portland pastor and U.S. Army veteran; on the other sat Sarita J. Hill, 49, the mother of his now-adult son. At issue was a Facebook post labeling January a “Deadbeat Dad.”
January, who leads the online Saved to Serve Ministries, sued Hill for defamation, claiming she was behind the social media page that displayed his photo under the headline “Deadbeat Dad.” He argued the post had severely damaged his reputation, eroded his credibility as a pastor, and cost him job opportunities. Hill denied any involvement in creating or posting the content.
When the trial began, U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon explained court procedure before allowing both to present their cases. January introduced himself as a decorated veteran, pastor, father, and IT professional with more than three decades of experience. Hill countered by saying she was merely describing the truth — that January owed her $117,245.16 in unpaid child support.
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Citing Merriam-Webster’s definition of “deadbeat” — “one who persistently fails to pay personal debts or obligations” — Hill argued the label fit. She presented official child support documents showing years of unpaid dues. “Does that, in effect, make you a deadbeat father?” she asked.
January rejected the characterization, responding, “That’s an opinion of someone who wrote a definition. I was incapable of meeting that requirement.”
The trial’s informal tone occasionally drew the judge’s interjections. When Hill demanded “yes” or “no” answers, Judge Simon reminded her, “That’s the way it works on television, not in real life. You asked the question; he gets to answer.”
Hill said she empathized with the harm the online post may have caused January but maintained, “I’m sorry you went through that. I just didn’t do it.”
The courtroom exchanges revealed the pair’s brief and turbulent relationship. Both testified they met in Arizona and knew each other for only four or five months. Their son was born in Scottsdale, Arizona, in March 2004, a date January could not recall during testimony. Hill said January had encouraged her to seek an abortion, a claim he did not dispute. After the birth, she said, “He just walked away.”
Raising her son alone, Hill described working multiple jobs — cleaning homes and later becoming a full-time real estate agent. She testified she handled all parenting responsibilities: “I took him to school, to the doctor, to practices. I simply wanted him to do his part. I did not want him put in jail.”
Court records showed January was first ordered in 2007 to pay $482.25 per month in child support, later raised to $608 in 2021. Hill testified she received as little as $20 some months and that over 18 years, January had paid only about $14,000 total.
January, in turn, accused Hill of being a “gold digger,” “money grabber,” and “trickster” — terms found in a letter he had written to their son. Hill filed a counterclaim for defamation based on that letter. When January accused Hill of not believing in God, the judge quickly cut him off, calling the statement “inappropriate.”
After more than three hours of testimony and questioning, Judge Simon ruled from the bench. He found no evidence that Hill had created or shared the “Deadbeat Dad” Facebook post. Moreover, he reminded January that “truth is a defense to defamation.”
Simon dismissed both the pastor’s claim and Hill’s counterclaim, explaining that the letter to their son amounted to an “insulting opinion” rather than a false factual statement.
The judge sided with Hill’s reliance on the dictionary meaning of “deadbeat.” “From a legal perspective, deadbeat means you owe a debt that you haven’t paid,” Simon said. “I get that you can’t pay what you don’t have. But that doesn’t mean you don’t fit within that definition.”
Testimony also revealed that January owed more than $117,000 not only to Hill but also to another woman who had a daughter with him in the same year, 2004.
“When you have children, you run the risk of owing child support,” Simon said pointedly. He then encouraged both parents to stop the personal conflict and focus on their son’s future.
For January, the verdict was a resounding loss. His attempt to clear his name backfired, as the court concluded that he indeed fit the legal definition of a “deadbeat dad.” Hill left without damages but with the vindication that the label, while harsh, reflected the factual record.
The case underscores how personal disputes — especially those aired online — can spiral into costly legal battles. It also highlights the courts’ strict adherence to the principle that truth protects speech from defamation claims.
As the trial closed, the federal courtroom returned to its usual calm, leaving behind two former partners whose personal grievances had been laid bare before the law.
