May 14, 2005

Bishops challenge clergy abuse law

CALIFORNIA
San Bernardino Sun

By Brad A. Greenberg, Staff Writer

California's Catholic bishops are again asking a federal judge to overturn a law that allowed hundreds of people to file lawsuits claiming abuse by priests.

The law state Senate Bill 1779 lifted the statute of limitations for 365 days on all cases of clergy sex abuse, even those that may be decades old.

"The law enacted in 2002 unfairly targeted the Catholic Church and ignored evidence of similar misconduct involving other institutions,' according to a statement released by the Diocese of San Diego after its bishop, Robert H. Brom, filed a motion Thursday in U.S. District Court in San Diego.

The diocese stated it has "the full support of all the Catholic bishops in California,' including the 1million-member Diocese of San Bernardino and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the nation's largest.

Posted by kshaw at May 14, 2005 08:06 AM