PORTLAND (OR)
Statesman Journal
BY WILLIAM MCCALL
The Associated Press
December 6, 2005
PORTLAND -- The Archdiocese of Portland, the first in the country to file for bankruptcy because of abuse settlements, is at the heart of a debate that could affect future claims by alleged victims of priest sex abuse.
Attorneys are fighting about who owns the churches and the property they stand on.
A hearing is scheduled today about whether the individual parishes and Catholic schools own their assets, as the archdiocese argues, or whether those assets belong to the archdiocese, as the plaintiffs say.
The case before U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Elizabeth Perris could set a precedent on whether federal law trumps Roman Catholic doctrine when it comes to church property.
If the alleged victims win their argument, the property could be made directly available to help pay for any settlements. If they lose, it could force them to go after the individual parishes, delaying and complicating the process while likely increasing the legal costs.