According to a child sexual abuse attorney, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco announced on Monday that a $395 million settlement had been reached, ultimately resolving the archdiocese’s bankruptcy case. The agreement was reached with approximately 530 individuals claiming to have suffered childhood abuse at the hands of priests. The deal must be approved by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Dennis Montali before it becomes final, but it has been acknowledged as the largest bankruptcy settlement reached by any Catholic diocese. Previously, the largest Catholic Church sexual abuse lawsuit resolved through bankruptcy was the $323 million settlement involving survivors who sued a diocese on Long Island, New York.
The Significance of Monetary Settlements
The San Francisco Archdiocese serves nearly 450,000 Catholics in the counties of San Francisco, San Mateo, and Marin. One survivor, Margie O’Driscoll, alleged that she was sexually abused by a priest nearly five decades ago while enrolled as a student at Marin Catholic High School in Kentfield. A sexual abuse attorney in California has learned that she referred to the settlement victory as a “hard-fought” battle and said she was pleased that it placed responsibility on church officials rather than sexual abuse survivors.
Legal victories of this nature send a strong message to organizations and churches regarding accountability when they fail to protect victims or prevent abuse. Although large settlements for survivors do not erase the shame and pain associated with child abuse, they can provide a form of vindication because they shine a bright spotlight on the responsible parties, who may be required to answer for their negligence and failures.
Steve Moreno stated that, after years of litigation, the agreement was a very positive step forward. Moreno had served for several years on a court-appointed committee of abuse survivors involved in the bankruptcy proceedings.
Additional Terms Involved in the Settlement
In addition to the monetary settlement, the archdiocese has agreed to adhere to 14 child protection and transparency requirements, including creating and maintaining a comprehensive, updated list of clergy accused of abuse. Details of the allegations and the results of subsequent investigations must also be documented under the agreement. An institutional sexual abuse attorney has learned that the archdiocese would also be prohibited from using confidentiality agreements to prevent survivors from speaking about their trauma.
Apology Letters to Survivors
The approximately 530 people who claimed there was a failure to protect them from sexual abuse will receive an apology letter from San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone as part of the settlement. Cordileone stated that he believes the overall settlement will ensure fair compensation for survivors who have carried the burden of abuse throughout their lives and expressed hope that the proposed agreement will help them move forward. Cordileone also expressed sorrow to those who were harmed and stated that the archdiocese accepts responsibility for what occurred.
Committee Established to Negotiate Individual Settlements
An Orange County sexual assault lawyer has learned that a committee of survivors spent the last three years negotiating with the archdiocese regarding the distribution of the settlement funds. Each survivor was given the opportunity to submit an individual account of the abuse to an allocator and ultimately receive an equitable distribution based on the survivor’s unique circumstances.
More Than Two Dozen Catholic Dioceses Have Filed for Bankruptcy
More than two dozen Catholic dioceses have filed for bankruptcy in recent years after New York, California, and other states implemented laws that temporarily enabled survivors of child sexual abuse to file lawsuits involving misconduct committed in previous decades. There is hope that the significant compensation paid to these survivors will serve as a wake-up call to organizations or churches that may be tempted to conceal such misconduct or avoid responsibility for its occurrence.
A child sexual abuse attorney can help survivors understand their options for pursuing compensation and institutional accountability. Anyone who has suffered sexual abuse at the hands of a trusted clergy member or another individual can learn more about the civil lawsuit process or contact a sexual assault lawyer for a confidential consultation.