VERMONT
Rutland Herald
May 7, 2006
The Associated Press
BURLINGTON — The attorney for a group of people suing Vermont's Roman Catholic Church is accusing the diocese of "judge shopping" by asking the presiding judge in the abuse cases to recuse himself.
Attorney James O'Neill said in court documents that the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington was upset because Chittenden County Superior Court Judge Ben Joseph allowed the release of documents that showed how church officials protected pedophile priests
"Hiding information is deleterious to the victims, and if defendant diocese could think it through, deleterious to itself," O'Neill said in the memorandum. "The diocese in effect is judge shopping."
Diocese attorney David Cleary called O'Neill's allegation offensive.
"Judge shopping is inferring you are looking for someone who will give you a better deal," Cleary said. "We are looking for an even playing field, and right now, we don't have it."