Judge Denies Motion by Archdiocese to Seal Abuse Documents

KARE
March 18, 2014

http://www.kare11.com/story/news/crime/2014/03/18/judge-denies-motion-by-archdiocese-to-seal-abuse-documents/6581583/

The St. Paul-Minneapolis Archdiocese will have to make credible child sex abuse cases public, according to a judge's ruling in Ramsey County District Court on Tuesday.

"The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis looks forward to working with the Court, the opposing parties and the special master in complying with (Monday's) ruling," the archdiocese said in a statement.

District Court Judge John Van de North denied a request from the archdiocese to seal all files on priests who sexually abused children. The ruling paves the way for the release of thousands of pages of documents dating back to 1970 to 1985.

The decision is connected to the filing of a lawsuit by an alleged victim former priest Tom Adamson.

Van de North ordered that the documents be provided by March 31.

"Our goals, and the basis for every action and decision we are making, remain the protection of children, the healing of victims, and the restoration of trust of the faithful and our clergy who are serving our communities nobly and with honor," the archdiocese concluded in its statement.