Overlawyered: Chronicling The High Cost Of Our Legal System

Church abuse: suing the laity?

In Spokane, Wash., where the local Roman Catholic diocese has declared bankruptcy under the pressure of sex-abuse lawsuits, a recent ruling by a federal judge deemed individual church parishes “unincorporated associations” that could themselves potentially be sued. Now plaintiffs in the cases are talking about suing the local parishes “and might even explore the legal […]

In Spokane, Wash., where the local Roman Catholic diocese has declared bankruptcy under the pressure of sex-abuse lawsuits, a recent ruling by a federal judge deemed individual church parishes “unincorporated associations” that could themselves potentially be sued. Now plaintiffs in the cases are talking about suing the local parishes “and might even explore the legal liability of individual churchgoers”. (John Stucke, “Abuse victims may sue parishes”, Spokane Spokesman-Review, Jul. 27). More: PoL May 5, etc.

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2 Comments

  • Wouldn’t that mean suing thmselves as well? I mean, sure, they can pick and choose (and conveniently leave themselves out), but logically, wouldn’t the “victims” be just as liable as any other churchgoer?

    (Yes, trying to use logic with the legal system. Stupid of me, I know, but give me a rare moment of optimism.

    • By Deoxy

  • The second was a sweeping appeal ruling by Senior U.S. District Judge Justin Quackenbush, who determined parishes were unincorporated associations rather than controlled and owned by the diocese. After the decision, the bishop formally rescinded the offer.

    I’m not Catholic, but I understand enough about Catholicism to know that’s nonsense. In some locales, the Catholic “hierarchy” is shutting down churches over the protests of those who attend these “local associations.” That clearly demonstrates where the power lies. And if a loan is taken out to build a new church, I’m sure that it’s the Catholic Church leadership and not a bevy of ‘unincorporated’ members, who signs the relevant documents.

    This looks like lawyers getting nasty in order to extort more money for themselves as well as a judge being more than a little clueless about what he’s saying. Besides, the plaintiff’s lawyers can’t have it both ways. If these relatively cashless local “associations” were responsible, then the diocese isn’t.

    And the possibility of suing church members who knew nothing about what was going on? Well, that’s getting to the root of why so many people hate lawyers.