The Wisconsin Supreme Court has dealt a legal blow to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee over clergy sex abuse allegations. Chicago Public Radio’s religion reporter Jason DeRose has details.
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The state court ruled some victims of clergy sex abuse may be able to sue the church for fraud. The court has said four people who were victims of abuse in the 1970s and 1980s cannot sue the archdiocese for negligence. Survivors could only have sued the church for failing to supervise priests IF the statue of limitations hadn’t expired. But the Wisconsin Supreme Court has reinstated the victims’ claims of fraud against the church. The Archdiocese could be held liable for fraud because it knowingly moved priests with records of abuse to parishes without alerting the congregation of the danger. The ruling could allow the filing of such cases until the year 2010. The Archdiocese’s website lists more than 40 known sexually abusive priests who’ve served the church since 1950. I’m Jason DeRose, Chicago Public Radio.