DUBUQUE (IA)
KWWL-TV, NBC-7 [Waterloo IA]
December 27, 2024
By Terra Konieczny
The Archdiocese of Dubuque has filed a motion to dismiss three civil lawsuits in Charlotte County, Florida involving alleged abuse that occurred in the 1980’s in Dubuque.
In October, three unnamed individuals sued former Dubuque Priest Leo Riley and the Archdiocese of Dubuque in Florida, where Riley now resides.
Riley filed a motion to dismiss the cases in November.
The Archdiocese argues that the lawsuits should be dismissed because the allegations are not connected to Florida, and forcing the case into a Florida court would violate due process.
They also stated that the abuse, which allegedly occurred between 1985 and 1986 while Riley was a priest in Dubuque, should not fall under Florida jurisdiction. The plaintiffs claim that the Archdiocese failed to investigate the abuse or recognize the risks posed by Riley.
Riley served with the Archdiocese from 1982 to 2002, when he requested to be excarded. He then moved to Florida and became part of the Diocese of Venice.