Twin Cities Archdiocese Gets Early Deadline for Clergy-sex Claims

By Elizabeth Mohr
Pioneer Press
April 16, 2015

http://www.twincities.com/crime/ci_27928401/twin-cities-archdiocese-gets-early-deadline-clergy-sex

The judge handling the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis bankruptcy case said Thursday he would approve its request to set an Aug. 3 deadline for victims of clergy sexual abuse to file claims, despite a state law allowing them until May 25, 2016.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Kressel said he wasn't convinced that allowing more time for victims to come forward would change anything.

Kressel said he wanted to keep court proceedings moving forward and said that by August most claims and the circumstances around them likely already will be known.

He noted that the deadline could be changed if needed.

"We're not closing a window on anybody," Kressel said. "We're setting a date for timely filing of claims."

He indicated he would approve the church's request but called for several edits to the proposed order. The revised order is expected to be submitted for his signature soon.

The judge also said he would protect the confidentiality of abuse victims' claims, declining to grant the Star Tribune newspaper's request for broader public access.

The archdiocese filed for bankruptcy protection in January, citing an operating deficit and concerns about more lawsuits for clergy sexual abuse.

Pending suits were put on hold and all claims became part of the bankruptcy proceedings. Anyone wishing to file a claim now should do so by Aug. 3.

Claims filed after the August deadline still will be submitted to the bankruptcy court, said Mike Finnegan, an attorney with the law firm of Jeff Anderson, which represents many victims of clergy sexual abuse.

But those late claims "would have less rights in the process at that point," Finnegan said. "So it's very important for survivors to come forward and file claims before Aug. 3."

Anderson's firm had opposed the archdiocese's request for the early deadline, citing the state's Child Victims Act, enacted by the Legislature in 2013. The act suspended the statute of limitations for lawsuits for past abuse, providing a three-year window for anyone to file a case.

The court's approval of the August deadline shortens the window by about nine months and does not apply to claims against individual parishes or religious orders, many of which are covered by the same insurers or policies as the archdiocese.

As part of the archdiocese's proposal for the August deadline, the church said it would try to notify people via news organizations and Catholic publications.

The creditors committee, appointed by the bankruptcy court to represent unsecured creditors -- primarily abuse victims -- suggested the archdiocese also submit notifications to addiction therapy centers.

In response to a motion from the Star Tribune to change the confidentiality of abuse victims' claims, Kressel said Thursday that he would overrule the newspaper's request.

The claim forms currently allow claimants to check a box saying whether they want their claims and information made public. The newspaper asked the court to broaden public access to all claims by redacting private information before release.

The Star Tribune's attorney, John Borger, argued Thursday that "expense and inconvenience" are not adequate reasons to keep the information nonpublic. He suggested the claim forms be reorganized in a way that would make redaction and release easier.

Kressel disagreed. He said that, while he believes in keeping court proceedings transparent, he wasn't convinced that redaction would protect victims' privacy.

"They need to know that nothing they write on a claim form will be made public," he said.

A hearing May 7 will address a request by local parishes to create a parish committee, similar to the official creditors' committee, making them a formal party to the case.

Elizabeth Mohr can be reached at 651-228-5162. Follow her at twitter.com/LizMohr.

Here are some of the photos of those priests and monks listed as suspected of sexually abusing children. Above: Thomas Adamson (Courtesy of Jeff Anderson)

Contact: emohr@pioneerpress.com