For many across the country, church is a place to practice their faith and find comfort in difficult times. What happens, though, when the person many people turn to for guidance commits offenses against the most vulnerable, especially innocent children? A new report by a Pennsylvania Grand Jury outlines some disturbing events within the Catholic Church, and many victims will be seeking out a child sexual abuse lawyer to represent their children against those who have abused their authority.

Recent Lawsuits and Press Releases

Many Lawsuits Filed against the Catholic Church

Released on August 14, 2018, the findings show that over 300 priests were accused of inappropriate acts with children of parishoners. Upper levels of the Church also allegedly covered up reports of priests who preyed on young children for decades. In one instance, there was even the reluctance to pursue investigations by a local district attorney to secure political favor from the diocese.

The Catholic Church has been in court before addressing such allegations. There have been many lawsuits filed against members of the Church on behalf of victims. Monsignor William Lynn of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia was the first U.S. Catholic Church official to be convicted of endangering the welfare of a child by assigning a priest with a known history of abuse to a church within the diocese. An attorney who specialized in child sexual abuse by members of the Catholic Church filed claims on behalf of their victims that justice was served to those children.

Lawyers Fight Against Child Sexual Abuse

Child sexual abuse lawyers may have a new weapon to defend these cases if  Pennsylvania Representative Mark Rozzi (D- Berks) gets his way. The State Representative is pushing for legislation that would give those with claims that are outside the statute of limitations two years to bring litigation. Those incidents that occur after any legislation is passed would not be subject to any statute of limitations, potentially allowing many victims with repressed memories to seek justice. The matter is now before the Pennsylvania Senate for consideration.

Contact KM&A

An attorney who is sensitive to the topic of child sexual abuse committed by members of the clergy is going to be the best ally a victim can have. They will not only be sympathetic to the concerns of their client, but they will also be aggressive in restoring a sense of justice to those who were innocent and, many times, unwilling victims of a pedophile priest or other authoritative figure. At Kraemer, Manes, & Associates, the attorneys are experienced civil litigators with the compassion to handle such a delicate subject.

If your child has experienced abuse at the hands of a clergy member, lay ministry member, any other member of the Catholic Church, or anyone in a position of authority, please call 412-626-5626 or 215-628-9185 for a free case evaluation. We will handle your information with compassion, sensitivity, and discretion while gathering the information needed to determine how we may be able to hold the offenders responsible for their actions.