Milwaukee Archdiocese Wants Some Sex-abuse Cases Dismissed from Bankruptcy Proceedings

WTAQ
October 24, 2014

http://wtaq.com/news/articles/2014/oct/24/milwaukee-archdiocese-wants-some-sex-abuse-cases-dismissed-from-bankruptcy-proceedings/

St Stanislaus Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE (WSAU-Wheeler News) A judge is letting the Milwaukee Catholic Archdiocese proceed with its effort to throw out eleven damage claims from sex abuse victims as part of the church's bankruptcy case. Federal Bankruptcy Judge Susan Kelley has rejected the victims' request to keep delaying the matter. Creditors' attorney Jeffrey Anderson says it's wrong for the church to "pick off" some of the 575 priest sex abuse victims who've filed damage claims, saying it creates an emotional toll.

Bankruptcy Judge Susan Kelley said she was sensitive to the victims -- but she also has to make sure the law is followed. Two of the eleven cases in question involve victims who had previous lawsuits dropped -- and were not allowed to re-file their allegations. Two other victims said they were molested by employees of related Catholic organizations not directly affiliated with the archdiocese.

The church has proposed a financial re-organization plan that would compensate only about a quarter of the 575 victims seeking damages, claiming they were molested by priests in the archdiocese over a period of decades.