“Portland archdiocese to settle abuse suits”
About 150 people who alleged they were molested by priests have agreed to settle their lawsuits against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland for an undisclosed amount.
U.S. District Judge Michael Hogan announced the agreement Monday but would not give a dollar amount. He told reporters the archdiocese, which is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, could cover all current and future claims without selling off property held by parishes and schools.
Portland was the first US diocese to enter Chapter 11 due to sex-abuse lawsuits and had begun to make the argument that parishes and schools should not be considered diocesan assets for the purpose of litigation settlement. Now it looks like the arguments may have been moot because the judge in the case says the $50 million from insurance plus real estate and other assets could settle the claims. Now the focus of the bankruptcy/parish sell-off arguments shifts to Spokane.
Technorati Tags:bankruptcy, Catholic, dioceses, lawsuits, settlements, sex abuse
