JEFFERSON CITY (MO)
KOMU 8 [Columbus, MO]
December 6, 2024
By Steve Lambson, KOMU 8 News Content Manager
A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed against the Diocese of Jefferson City on Thursday due a lack of action by the plaintiffs.
The lawsuit, filed in September by five Missouri adults, accused Jefferson City-area Catholic priests of sexual abuse. Four of the plaintiffs claim they were abused as children, and the fifth said they were abused as an adult.
The lawsuit named the diocese and Bishop Shawn McKnight as defendants. After it was filed, McKnight sent a statement saying none of the priests in question are were active in the diocese at the time of filing.
In a ruling Thursday, Judge Douglas Harpool said the plaintiffs had not met deadlines set by another judge for serving the defendants with court papers. They also did not meet a deadline for responding to an order to show cause.
For those reasons, Harpool dismissed the lawsuit without prejudice, meaning the plaintiffs may file again if they choose.