OREGON CITY, Ore. - A local pastor who has been sued about 40 times filed a lawsuit of his own claiming he has the rights to the home where his family has been living for three years.

Before we get to the lawsuit, we have to explain a little bit about Pastor Corey Pritchett. 

Late last year, KATU News aired a special report about the man, who had drawn harsh criticism from former employees and members of his ministry who said he owed them tens of thousands of dollars for wages and real estate deals that fell through.

One couple, Josh Beasley and Melinda Foster (pictured on the right), said they gave Pritchett a $2,000 down payment on a house but when they went to move in, someone was already living there. 

Pritchett told them to stay in a motel for a week while he worked it out, but the couple ended up staying in a motel for four months with their five kids, burning up all of their savings while they waited for the deal to go through. 

The couple said Pritchett tried to keep their trust by reminding them he was a pastor.  "Anything he told me, I believed him, because he always had the Bible right there," Foster said.

The deal never did come through and the couple was so broke they could not pay the fee for the storage facility holding their belongings.  They lost everything they owned.

On Wednesday, Pritchett was in a Clackamas County courtroom where he stood as his own attorney. Pritchett was suing Richard Gill, the man who owns the home his family lives in, which is located in Sandy. 

Pritchett's family was living in the home when Gill bought it.  Pritchett claimed he was cheated out of an option to buy the house and was seeking $500,000 for mental anguish.

However, according to Gill, Pritchett has not paid anything to live there and has only been able to stay because of legal wrangling. "He never paid taxes, he has never paid insurance," said Gill.  "He has never paid a payment.  He has never cut the grass."

Pritchett did not have much to say outside the courthouse.  However, once inside he spoke to the judge about his ministry's upcoming mission to Louisiana. "We go into areas and we hold revivals and meetings and we start churches," he said.

Pritchett's decision to serve as his own attorney backfired.  Judge Ronald Thom had to keep reminding Pritchett of court procedure and questioned him about presenting evidence. 

In the end, the judge decided that Pritchett did not have grounds for the lawsuit and ruled for the defendant, Richard Gill. Pritchett will now have to leave the home by Sunday night.