BishopAccountability.org
	Judge: Diocese Can Keep Victims Secret Associated Press, carried in Gazette October 27, 2006 http://gazetteonline.com/2006/10/27/Home/News/abusevictimssecret.htm Davenport, IA - A federal bankruptcy judge has approved the Davenport diocese's request to keep secret the names of abuse victims during bankruptcy proceedings. An order filed this week by Judge Lee Jackwig creates a Master Anonymous Claimants List that will include the names of people who say they were abused by priests. Each claimant will be assign a "Doe number" that will be used in future court proceedings. The list will be filed with the court clerk and sealed. Future claimants will have their names and addresses added to the list and kept confidential. Davenport attorney Craig Levien, who is representing several victims of clergy sexual abuse, said a few victims, who hadn't previously come forward, have contacted him since the bankruptcy was filed Oct. 10. He said most come forward when they see stories in the news. "Most of them have questions about the whole process," he said. "I don't know that it's a direct result of" the bankruptcy. A deadline for filing claims against the diocese has been set for Feb. 6, but Levien said that date will likely be extended in the coming weeks. The diocese is the fourth in the nation to seek financial protection to deal with priest sex abuse cases. Since 2004, the diocese has paid more than $10.5 million to resolve dozens of claims filed against priests, including a $9 million settlement reached with 37 victims in fall 2004. The other dioceses that have filed for bankruptcy are in Portland, Ore., Spokane, Wash., and Tucson, Ariz. Tucson emerged from bankruptcy after one year. Portland and Spokane are still in bitter disputes, and a major sticking point has been whether the dioceses and parishes are separate legal entities.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.