Settlements and bankruptcies in Catholic sex abuse cases have affected several American dioceses, whose compensation payments have totaled in the billions of dollars
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According to Donald Cozzens, "by the end of the mid 1990s, it was estimated that ...more than half a billion dollars had been paid in jury awards, settlements and legal fees." This figure grew to about one billion dollars by 2002.[1] Roman Catholics spent $615 million on sex abuse cases in 2007.[2]
| Date | Diocese | Charges made against | Amount | # of Victims | Comments | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994, May | Lincoln, NE | $40,000 | 1 | Rob Butler, FKA Adam Butler claimed he was abused weekly for two years | ||
| 1997 | Dallas, TX | $31 million | [3] | |||
| 2003, Jun | Louisville, KY | $25.7 million | 240 | [4] | ||
| 2003, Sep | Boston, MA | $85 million | 552 | [5] | ||
| 2004, Jul 6 | Portland, OR | $53 million | 100 (over) | Filed for bankruptcy, Chapter 11 hours before two abuse trials were set to begin | ||
| 2004, Sep | Tucson, AZ | $22.2 million | Filed for bankruptcy, after reaching an agreement with its victims | [6] | ||
| 2004, Dec | Spokane, WA | $48 million (at least) | Filed for bankruptcy, payment was a part (has to be approved by judge and victims) | [7] | ||
| 2005, Jan 3 | Orange, CA | 30 priests, 2 nuns, 11 other | $100 million | 87 | In 1997, Bishop Tod Brown himself was accused of having sexually abused a 12-year-old boy in 1965 as pastor in Bakersfield. Church officials dismissed the claims and he denied the allegation. Eleuterio Ramos 11 cases, Siegfried Widera, who later suicided, 9 cases, 25 case uninvolved | [8][9][10][11][12] |
| 2006, Oct 10 | Davenport, IA | Lawrence Soens | 15 | Filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, alleged victims were 15 students from 1960s who accused Bishop Soens who denied the accusations. | [13][14] | |
| 2006, Dec | Phoenix, AZ | $100,000 | 1 | William Cesolini | [15] | |
| 2006, Dec | Los Angeles, CA | priests | $60 million | 45 | Cardinal Roger Mahony, 45 of the over 500 pending cases | [16] |
| 2007 | Los Angeles, CA | Father Mark Falvey | $16 million | 9 | ordered to pay | [17] |
| 2007, Jan 15 | Charleston, SC | priests | $12 million | many | Bishop Robert J. Baker agreed to pay | [18] |
| 2007, Jul 16 | Los Angeles, CA | $660 million (£324m) | 508 (over) | Archbishop Roger Mahony and the Los Angeles diocese apologized for abuses by priests describing them as "terrible sin and crime", after settling with over 508 alleged victims | [19][20] | |
| 2007, Jan | Charleston, SC | $12 million | [18] | |||
| 2007, Feb 27 | San Diego, CA | Robert Brom | $198.1 million | 144 | Filed for Chapter 11 protection, hours before the first of about 150 lawsuits about childhood abuse was due to be heard — it became the largest diocese to seek bankruptcy protection. | [21] |
| 2008, Mar 7 | Fairbanks, AK | 130 | Filed for bankruptcy due to monetary concerns over 130 lawsuits made by Alaska natives claiming to have been abused by priests, and other church employees | |||
| 2008, May 29 | Sacramento, CA | Frs. Arthur & Mark Falvey | $100,000 | 1 | Diocese of Sacramento paid $100,000 to William Green who alleged he was raped and molested from age 7-11 at St Ignatius Parish, by identical twin brother priests Fr. Arthur Falvey of Sacramento, and Fr. Mark Falvey of Los Angeles | |
| 2009, Feb | Memphis, TN | Fr Juan Carlos Duran | $2 million | 1 | Fr. Duran had previous sexual history with minors in St. Louis, Panama and Bolivia | [24] |
| 2009, Oct | Savannah, GA | Wayland Brown | $4.24 million | 1 | 2nd largest individual sum paid | [25] |
| Total | $1.269 billion | (over) 1,835 |
Citing monetary concerns arising from impending trials on sex abuse claims, the Archdiocese of Portland (Oregon) filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on July 6, 2004, hours before two abuse trials were set to begin, becoming the first Roman Catholic diocese to file for bankruptcy. If granted, bankruptcy would mean pending and future lawsuits would be settled in federal bankruptcy court. The archdiocese had settled more than a hundred previous claims for a sum of over $53 million. The filing seeks to protect parish assets, school money and trust funds from abuse victims; the archdiocese's contention is that parish assets are not the archdiocese's assets. Plaintiffs in the cases against the archdiocese have argued that the Catholic Church is a single entity, and that the Vatican should be liable for any damages awarded in judgment of pending sexual abuse cases.
The Diocese of Tucson filed for bankruptcy in September 2004. The diocese reached an agreement with its victims, which the bankruptcy judge approved June 11, 2005, specifying terms that included allowing the diocese reorganization to continue in return for a $22.2 million settlement.[26]
In December 2004, the Diocese of Spokane, Washington agreed to pay at least $48 million as compensation to those abused by priests as part of its bankruptcy filing. This payout has to be agreed upon by victims and another judge.[27]
On October 10, 2006, the Diocese of Davenport filed for Chapter 11 protection.[28] The decision to file for bankruptcy was driven by many claims which focused on Bishop Lawrence Soens, who had been accused of fondling as many as 15 students during his tenure as priest and principal at Regina Catholic High School in Iowa City during the 1960s. Soens denies the allegations. A judge discharged one suit in October 2006.[29]
On February 27, 2007, the Diocese of San Diego filed for Chapter 11 protection, hours before the first of about 150 lawsuits was due to be heard. San Diego became the largest diocese to postpone its legal problems in this way.[30]
On March 7, 2008, the Diocese of Fairbanks filed for bankruptcy after 130 civil suits filed by Alaska natives who claim to be abused by priests, and other church employees, beginning in the 1950s.[31]
On October 18, 2009, the Diocese of Wilmington filed for bankruptcy as the first of some eight lawsuits (of more than 100 potential) was scheduled to go to trial the next day.[32][33][34]
On January 4, 2011, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee announced that it would be filing for bankruptcy. The church was facing more than 23 lawsuits, and attempts to reach a mediated settlement with victims failed in December 2010. This came two days before the bishop was scheduled to be deposed about these cases, and after the church had refused to release the names or personnel records of the priests accused. The opposing attorney said that the bankruptcy filing was an attempt to delay turning over church records on the cases.
The Milwaukee archdiocese has already paid out over $29 million to settle 200 cases over the last 20 years. They said that these additional cases would cause hefty legal fees that the archdiocese could not afford. The archdiocese has assets of about $98.4 million, but $90 million of that is restricted for specific uses.[35]
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