• Diocese of Charleston Faces Two Priest Abuse Lawsuits February 24, 2021 Catholic Church Sexual Abuse In a matter of seven days, the Catholic Diocese of Charleston found itself having to defend itself against two allegations of priest sexual abuse. The allegations of abuse span from 1961 through the mid-1970s. click to read more
• Maryland Statute of Limitations for Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases February 19, 2021 Catholic Church Sexual Abuse How long you have to file a clergy abuse lawsuit in Maryland is a common question. For some Maryland clergy abuse survivors, it may take years, even decades, to recall the abuse since traumatic events suffered as a child are often suppressed. Even survivors who haven’t repressed those memories often… click to read more
• Augustinians Agree to Settlement of $1.4 Million for Sexual Abuse Claims February 18, 2021 Catholic Church Sexual Abuse A $1.4 million dollar settlement was reached with the Augustine Order involving sexual abuse allegations against deceased Rev. John J. Gallagher. The settlement compensates 11 survivors, 10 females and 1 male whom Gallagher abused between 1974 and 1978 during his time at St. Mary's School in Lawrence, MA. click to read more
• Pennsylvania Revival Window Moves Closer to Reality February 6, 2021 Catholic Church Sexual Abuse The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania made headlines in August of 2018 with the release of the Diocese Victim Report, which came after a two-year grand jury investigation into sexual abuse and cover-ups in six of the eight Pennsylvania Dioceses. In its wake, Pennsylvania legislators took aim at updating laws involving sexual… click to read more
• Dioceses of Camden Files for Bankruptcy February 5, 2021 Catholic Church Sexual Abuse On Oct. 1, 2020, the Diocese of Camden filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. A press release subsequent to the filing cited COVID-19, payments already made through the Victims Compensation Program, and state legislative changes regarding the statute of limitations for sexual abuse claims as the reasons the Diocese sought… click to read more
• What Does it Mean When a Priest or Clergy is ‘Credibly Accused’? January 27, 2021 Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Dioceses have been publishing lists of ‘credibly accused’ priests or clergy regarding child sexual abuse since 2002. However, many people may wonder what it means if a priest or clergy member has been credibly accused of sexual abuse. What standards, if any, are in place for a name to be… click to read more
• Deadline Set for Filing Clergy Abuse Claims Against Diocese of Buffalo January 25, 2021 Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Chief Judge Carl L. Bucki of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Western District of New York set the bar date for victims with claims of sexual abuse against the Diocese of Buffalo at August 14, 2021. A bar date is the date by which creditors (victims) need to submit… click to read more
• Fr. Gary Carr Accused of Sexual Misconduct in Missouri January 20, 2021 Catholic Church Sexual Abuse In April, the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau issued a press release stating that an allegation of physical/sexual misconduct against Father Gary Carr met the criteria for publication. In July, the diocese issued a second release finding that three more allegations against Carr also passed the threshold for publication. All four… click to read more
• 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