• Diocese of Phoenix Faces Clergy Sex Abuse Lawsuits January 13, 2021 Catholic Church Sexual Abuse In 2020, child sexual abuse claims against two priests who served in the Diocese of Phoenix made headlines. Alleged claims of sexual abuse of children against Father John “Jack” Spaulding and Father John P. Doran are a bleak reminder of the scale of clergy abuse not only within the Diocese… click to read more
• Survivors Step Forward Alleging Sexual Abuse at St. Anthony’s Home for Boys January 11, 2021 Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Three separate lawsuits have been filed by former residents against St. Anthony’s Home for Boys alleging childhood sexual abuse. The orphanage, which housed more than 6,000 boys in its 68 years of operation, was run for many years by the Sisters of St. Francis and closed its doors in the… click to read more
• Allegations of Sexual Abuse Emerge Against Two Priests Who Served in the Diocese of Greensburg, PA December 16, 2020 Sexual Abuse & Assault Lawsuits Allegations of sexual abuse by two priests who served in the Greensburg Diocese were brought to light recently by the State Attorney General’s office and the diocese itself. Father Emil Payer’s name was released by the diocese as part of a report by Bishop Edward Malesic. The report stated that… click to read more
• How Long do I have to File a Clergy Abuse Lawsuit? December 2, 2020 Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Each state sets their own laws which govern how long a survivor has to file a claim, and the differences between states can be dramatic. Many clergy sexual abuse survivors are concerned about how long they have to file a lawsuit. Find general and state specific information regarding laws for… click to read more
• Sex Trafficking Charges Filed Against Northern Ohio Catholic Priest November 25, 2020 Catholic Church Sexual Abuse The sad reality is that clergy abuse is still an issue for the Catholic Church. Several parishes in northern Ohio, including those in the Toledo, Finlay, and Van Wert areas were reminded of that reality when on August 18, 2020, Father Michael Zacharias was arrested and charged with sex trafficking. click to read more
• Judge Rules Clergy Abuse Survivors Can File Lawsuits Against Archdiocese of Santa Fe November 23, 2020 Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Bankruptcy Judge David T. Thuma is overseeing the Chapter 11 reorganization of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Thuma’s recent ruling would allow lawyers for clergy sex abuse survivors to file lawsuits against the diocese claiming it fraudulently transferred an estimated $150 million to avoid paying it to survivors. Lawyers for… click to read more
• Number of Clergy Abuse Lawsuits Filed in Pennsylvania Surge November 20, 2020 Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Over the last few years, many states have passed reform bills to help survivors of childhood sexual abuse hold their abusers, and the institutions responsible for the abuse, accountable. Several states, including New York and California, have passed laws setting up what are commonly referred to as ‘revival windows.’ These… click to read more
• Lexington KY Diocese Releases Accused Priest List November 19, 2020 Sexual Abuse & Assault Lawsuits The Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky released a list of 20 priests who served in the diocese and have been credibly accused of sexually abusing a minor. The list was compiled after an independent investigation that reviewed all priest and church files, among other documents. The diocese notes in its official… click to read more
• Concordia Preparatory School Student Alleging Sexual Assault November 12, 2020 Sexual Abuse & Assault Lawsuits A federal lawsuit filed by a former Concordia Preparatory School student contains several sexual assault allegations dating back to 2018 when she was a student. The lawsuit alleges the school looked the other way and failed to act even though the student repeatedly reported the incidents. The alleged assaults took… click to read more
• Diocese of Covington, KY Release List of Accused Clergy November 9, 2020 Catholic Church Sexual Abuse The Diocese of Covington, Kentucky has released a list of priests who have served in its diocese and have been credibly accused of sexual abuse. The list comes after two former FBI agents spent almost a full year reviewing diocese records dating back to 1950. The comprehensive list contains the… click to read more
• Survivor Payments Suspended by Camden Diocese IVCP November 5, 2020 Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Survivors who chose to seek clergy abuse compensation from the Diocese of Camden through the Independent Victim Compensation Program (“IVCP”) will have to wait a little longer. In July, the diocese suspended making new payments through its Independent Victim Compensation Program (“IVCP”). Camden diocese officials told program administrators Kenneth R.… click to read more
• How Long Do I Have to File a Clergy Abuse Lawsuit in New Jersey? November 4, 2020 Catholic Church Sexual Abuse How long you have to file a clergy abuse lawsuit in New Jersey is a common question. For some New Jersey clergy abuse survivors, it may take years, even decades to recall the abuse since traumatic events suffered as a child are often suppressed. Even those who haven’t blocked those… click to read more
• New York’s Child Victims Act Extended – Again October 30, 2020 Sexual Abuse & Assault Lawsuits For the second time since the law was initially passed in 2019, New York’s Child Victims Act (“CVA”) has been extended, providing more time for child sex abuse survivors to pursue legal claims, both criminally and civilly. The extension moves the new deadline to August 14, 2021. click to read more
• New York’s Diocese of Rochester Files for Bankruptcy October 30, 2020 Catholic Church Sexual Abuse In September of 2019, the Diocese of Rochester filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Rochester. At the time of the filing, the petition noted the Diocese had $50-$100 million in assets, with liability estimates totaling $100 to $500 million. The Diocese of Rochester was… click to read more
• Pontifical Secrecy Rule Lifted in Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases October 26, 2020 Catholic Church Sexual Abuse In December of 2019 the Vatican issued an instruction called On the Confidentiality of Legal Proceedings which essentially removed the pontifical secrecy rule related to clergy sexual abuse or misconduct cases. The directive by the Vatican should help ease communication between church officials and civil authorities around the globe regarding… click to read more