Stansfield

The trial court sustained without leave to amend demurrers to appellants’ fifth amended complaint and dismissed actions against respondents Author Services, Inc., and Church of Spiritual Technology. We find no abuse of trial court discretion and therefore aifirm the judgment.

Procedural Background

On December 31, 1986, appellants (six individuals, one nonprofit organization, and a present class of approximately four hundred persons who could number several thousand) filed their original complaint. Named as defendants were fourteen individuals, one estate, six nonprofit organizations, one for profit corporation, one nonprofit religious corporation, five undesignated entities, and one hundred Does. Three causes of action were alleged: (1) fraud, (2) breach of a fiduciary relationship or duty, and (3) injunctive relief and constructive trust.

The complaint alleged that appellants were or had been members of the Church of Scientology, that they had been induced to join the church by defendants’ misrepresentations, that defendants had breached a fiduciary duty by disclosing confidential confessional information, and that defendants had diverted church property to…