LIMA (OH)
Cincinnati Enquirer
The Associated Press
LIMA - An appeals court ruled that a sexual abuse lawsuit filed against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati can continue even though the deadline for filing it was missed.
Ohio's 3rd District Court of Appeals said the statute of limitations should not apply because the archdiocese did not tell authorities about the alleged abuse and concealed it.
The ruling released Monday reversed a Shelby County Common Pleas Court decision to throw out the lawsuit because the alleged victim did not file it within two years after turning 18.
The archdiocese will appeal to the Ohio Supreme Court, spokesman Dan Andriacco said.
The victim said he was abused as a minor by the Rev. Thomas Hopp of Cincinnati. Hopp admitted in 2002 that he abused the victim and was removed from ministry, Andriacco said.
"This is the only one that's gone against us, and we believe it was wrongly decided," he said.
Posted by kshaw at March 10, 2005 07:55 AM