PENNSYLVANIA
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
An Allegheny County judge has halted proceedings in 35 sex abuse lawsuits filed against the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh while the state Supreme Court considers an appeal of a ruling in similar cases in Philadelphia.
Common Pleas Judge R. Stanton Wettick Jr. granted a request by the diocese to stay the cases but did not rule on its request to dismiss the cases. Lawyers for the 35 plaintiffs had objected to the stay because it keeps the diocese from turning over documents related to the allegations.
In March, the state Superior Court ruled that alleged victims of sexual abuse by priests in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia waited too long to file their lawsuits. Attorneys for the Philadelphia plaintiffs in April appealed that ruling to the state Supreme Court.
Posted by kshaw at May 25, 2005 07:23 AM