Georgia’s civil statute of limitations (SOL) laws are not victim friendly in providing survivors of childhood sexual abuse an avenue to justice. While bills have been proposed to extend the civil SOL and even open a revival window, none of them have been able to pass through the state’s Legislature and become law. Civil SOL laws enable lawyers handling sexual abuse claims in Georgia to file cases against sexual predators, including clergy members, and the Catholic Church.
Georgia Statute of Limitations for Sexual Abuse & Assault
Georgia has made little progress in the past decade towards helping survivors of sexual abuse get civil justice by minimally extending its civil statute of limitations for child sexual abuse crimes against non-perpetrators. Efforts to improve those laws have also been met with resistance, and currently there are no bills in the Legislature which, if passed, would help survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Criminal Statute of Limitations Laws for Georgia
In Georgia, there is no criminal SOL for the following child sex abuse crimes: trafficking of victim under 16, cruelty to children in the 1st degree of victim under 16, rape of victim under age 16, aggravated sodomy of victim under age 16, child molestation of victim under age 16, enticing a child of victim under age 16, incest of victim under age 16. For other felonies, the SOL is 7-years from the offense and 2-years from the offense for misdemeanors. Child USA, who has evaluated every state based on its criminal statute of limitations laws, gave Georgia a Criminal SOL letter grade of C, on the traditional A-F scale, where A is the best. A letter grade of C is defined as an elimination of the criminal SOL for some/all felonies.
Civil Statute of Limitations Laws for Georgia
In Georgia, the civil SOL for child sex abuse claims against all defendants is capped at age 23. There is a 2-year discovery rule for civil actions in Georgia where the abuse occurred on or after July 1, 2015. Child USA, who has also evaluated every state based on its civil statute of limitations laws, gave Georgia a Civil SOL Age Cap letter grade of F, on the traditional A-F scale, where A is the best. A letter grade of F is defined as a civil SOL age cap of age 34 or younger.
Additionally, Child USA gave Georgia a related SOL Revival Law letter grade of D on the same A-F scale. A letter grade of D is defined as a revival window or revival up to a certain age, for claims against perpetrators only.
October 2009 – The Diocese of Savannah agreed to pay $4.24 million to settle claims by a man who said Rev. Wayland Y. Brown sexually abused him from 1978 to 1983 while he was a student at St. James Catholic School. The abuse started when the victim was only 10 years old. In 2003, Brown was convicted of abusing two boys in Maryland and served five years in prison.
July 2016 – The Diocese of Savannah agreed to pay $4.5 million to settle claims by a man who said Rev. Wayland Y. Brown sexually abused him in the late 1980s. Brown invoked his Fifth Amendment right when he was questioned about the abuse. The settlement is believed to be the third largest in the country for a single survivor.
The settlements listed above are offered for educational purposes only and do not guarantee any future outcome or settlement. Each legal situation is different, and past performance does not guarantee future results. We do not maintain that is a full list of all settlements in the state of Georgia but merely a grouping of those we choose to share on our website. Please contact us if you would like additional settlements included or if you notice any inaccuracies on our site. We strive to provide our viewers the most up to date and accurate information as possible.
Georgia Catholic Dioceses Release Names of Clergy Credibly Accused of Sexual Abuse of Children
Catholic Dioceses in Georgia have released the names of priests and clergy members who they deemed to be ‘credibly accused’ of sexual abuse of a child.
The lists below will be updated as litigation or investigations are concluded so that new names of credibly accused priests in Georgia can be added.
Use the links below to navigate directly to a particular diocese’s clergy list.
Archdiocese of Atlanta Credibly Accused Priest List
wdt_ID
Last Name
First Name
Diocese/ Order
Date of Ordination/ Incardication
Clergy Status
Assignments
1
Bollmer
Jacob
Archdiocese of Atlanta
1968
Deceased 2000
xxxx-1987 Catholic Charities Atlanta; 1969-1987 St. Joseph Village (Priest in Residence); 1968-1969 Cathedral of Christ the King
2
Calle Perez
Sergio Mauricio
Archdiocese of Atlanta
1988
Removed from ministry 2004
1998-1999 St. John Neumann; 1998-1999 St. Marguerite d'Youville; 1999 Prince of Peace
3
Cristanch
Jorge
Archdiocese of Atlanta
1978
Removed from ministry 2003
2001 Saint George (Newnan); 1996-2001 Saint Michael's (Gainesville); 1992-1996 Shrine of the Immaculate Conception; 1991-1997 Hispanic Liaison Personnel Board; 1988-1992 Cathedral of Christ the King; 1987-1988 Leave of Absence; 1984-1987 Saint Philip Benizi; 1981-1984 St. Joseph (Dalton); 1978 Immaculate Heart of Mary
4
Edwards
John Douglas
Archdiocese of Atlanta
1961
Deceased 1997
1987-1989 St. Catherine of Siena (Kennesaw); 1987 Sacred Heart of Jesus; 1987 St. Pius X; 1986-1987 Leave of Absence; 1981-1986 St. Thomas More; 1975-1981 St. Joseph; 1974-1975 St. John the Evangelist; 1973-1974 Leave of Absence; 1972-1973 St. Thomas Aquinas; 1967-1972 Our Lady of Perpetual Help; 1966-1967 St. Jude the Apostle; 1965-1966 Sacred Heart; 1963-1965 Our Lady of the Assumption; 1962-1963 Saint Mary; 1961-1962 St. Anthony of Padua; 1961 Cathedral of Christ the King
5
Horan
Raymond
Archdiocese of Atlanta
1968
Deceased 2017
1992-1993 Most Blessed Sacrament; 1989-1992 St. John the Evangelist (Hapeville); 1988-1989 St. Jude the Apostle; 1987 Sabbatical; 1981-1987 Sts. Peter and Paul (Decatur); 1977-1981 Transfiguration; 1974-1977 Mother of Our Divine Saviour (Toccoa); 1973-1974 Sacred Heart (Atlanta); 1971-1973 St. Joseph's (Athens); 1969-1971 St. Thomas More (Decatur); 1969-1971 St. Joseph High School; 1968-1969 St. Thomas More (Decatur)
6
Idziak
Stanley Dominic
Archdiocese of Atlanta
1962
Deceased 2017
1985-1988 St. Michael; 1981-1985 Corpus Christi; 1978-1981 All Saints
7
Mayhew
Leonard Francis Xavier
Archdiocese of Atlanta
1955
Deceased 2012
Holy Cross (Atlanta); 1960 St. Anna (Monroe); 1960 St. Joseph's (Athens); 1959 St. Anthony (Atlanta); 1955 S. Thomas More (Decatur)
8
Biggers
Clarence
Order Society of Mary
Deceased 2009
St. Joseph Church (Marietta); Sacred Heart of Jesus Our Lady of the Assumption
9
Boucher
Richard Roy
Missionaries of Our Lady of LaSalette
Deceased 2020
Our Lady of LaSalette
10
Cassity
Kenneth Joseph
Missionaries of Our Lady of LaSalette (seminarian)
Convicted 2003
St. Ann (Marietta)
11
Mowat
Anton
Diocese of Northampton (Great Britain)
Convicted 1990
1985-1987 Corpus Christi (Stone Mountain); 1985 Saint Francise of Assisi (Diocese of Northhamptonshire, England)
12
Paulantonio
Joseph William
Diocese of Marquette
Deceased 1997
St. Jude the Apostle
13
Alers
Juan
Diocese of Arecibo Puerto Rico
1969
Deceased 2011
Chaplain Atlanta Penetentiary/ Resided; Our Lady of Lourdes 1986 - 1987; Diocese of Lake Charles, LA
14
Bartles
Charles Arnold
Society of Jesus
Deceased 1993
1972-1978 Marist High School
15
Coyle
Charles G.
Society of Jesus
Deceased 2015
1992 -1995 Ignatius House
16
Dowling
John
Diocese of Savannah
Deceased 2000
Diocese of Savannah
17
Early
Bill
Glenmary Home Missioners
Deceased
1991 Glenmary Research Institute Atlanta
18
Gage
Philip
Society of Mary
Removed from Ministry 1993
Marist High School
19
Gavigan
Eugene
OCS
Deceased 1959
1958-1960 Diocese of Savannah
20
Jablonwoski
Tony
Glenmary Home Missioners
Laicized 2006
1976 St. Mark Clarksville
21
Kolodziej
Michael
Franciscan Friars
Removed from ministry 2013
Saint Anthony of Padua Province; 2010-2013 St. Philip Benizi
22
Malatesta
Vincent
Society of Jesus
Dismissed from Society of Jesus 2004
1990-2001 Ignatius House
23
Molloy
John
Archdiocese of Atlanta
1984
Convicted 2003 - Ireland
1982 St. Jude the Apostle; 1984 -1985 Corpus Christi; Leave of Absence; 1985 - Ireland; Removed from ministry 1995 - Ireland; Permanently removed from ministry (laicization) 1998 - Ireland
24
Maynard
Rene
Franciscan Friars
Deceased 2018
Province of the Most Holy Name; St. Mary’s (Rome)
25
Naughton
Thomas
Society of Jesus
Deceased 2012
2004 Ignatius House
26
Poandl
Robert
Glenmary Home Missioners
Deceased 2019
1981-1988 St. Francis of Assisi (Blairsville); 1981-1988 St. Paul the Apostle (Cleveland); 1979-1981 St. Luke's (Dahlonega)
27
Rogge
Louis P.
Carmelite
Deceased 2007
28
Vertassich
Gino
Glenmary Home Missioners
Deceased
1971 St. Luke Dahlonega
Diocese of Savannah Credibly Accused Priest List
wdt_ID
Last Name
First Name
Diocese/ Order
Year of Ordination/ Incardination
Clergy Status
Assignment Years
1
Quinlan
Nicholas
Diocese of Savannah
1932
Deceased 1981
1933–1972
2
Garcia
Lorenzo
Diocese of Savannah
1997
Laicized
1998–2008
3
Teoli
Robert
Diocese of Savannah
1955
Deceased 1980
1956–1980
4
Brown
Wayland
Diocese of Savannah
1977
Deceased 2019
1977–1998
5
O’Sullivan
Michael
Diocese of Savannah
Inactive
1962–1972
6
Reilly
Joseph
Diocese of Nashville
Laicized 1965
1964–1966
7
Gavigan
Eugene
Deceased 1959
1958–1960
8
Murphy
Robert
The Discalced Carmelites
Unknown
1959–1960
9
Keohane
Bartholomew
Society of Mary
Deceased
1947–1961
10
Murray
S. John
Society of Mary
Deceased
1959–1960
11
Gall
Adolph J.
Society of Mary
Deceased
1932–1960
12
Martin
Austin
Society of the Divine Saviour
Deceased
1964–1969
13
Smith
Joseph
Society of the Divine Saviour
Deceased 1952
1924–1952
14
Harold
James
Society of Mary
Deceased
1948–1956
15
Dean
Joseph
Glenmary Home Missioners
Deceased 2007
Prior to 1962
16
Poandl
Robert
Glenmary Home Missioners
Deceased 2019
2008–2012
17
George
Frederick
Order of Saint Benedict
Removed from ministry
1990-1991
Click to view our larger list of accused priests. Here you can search by accused clergy first and last name, Parish/Diocese, city and state, and even by the years of their assignments.