If you were sexually abused as a child by a priest, deacon or any other member of the Catholic Church, you are not alone. We are here to help you. Please fill out our confidential online contact form or call Toll Free 1-866-777-2557 and a California Sexual Abuse Lawyer will get back to you within 24 hours to discuss your possible case. Help is available nationwide. There is no cost to investigate and there are no legal fees unless you receive financial compensation. Making the call is sometimes the hardest step, but it is often a necessary step on the road to healing. Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer California
Reasons to call
Please call Toll Free 1-866-777-2557 or fill out our confidential contact form and a lawyer will get back to you within 24 hours to discuss your case. California Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer
California Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer
In 2002 and 2003, public outrage about child sexual abuse by Catholic clergy hit its peak. Following a series of investigative reports by the Boston Globe, worldwide attention was placed on the ways the church had systematically covered up abuse accusations. One result was widespread questioning of statutes of limitations, which prevent criminal or civil cases from being brought after a certain length of time. Most states have some statute of limitations in effect for child molestation. As a result, abuse survivors who finally found the courage to come forward often found that they had missed the window of time in which they could have sought legal justice.
Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer California
In California, legislators sought a solution. They drafted a bill that would completely lift the statute of limitations for one year, starting on January 1, 2003, allowing victims to sue churches, hospitals or schools for allowing abuse, no matter how long ago it happened. The law passed unanimously, and lawyers as well as Catholic officials began preparing for what they knew would be a tidal wave of cases.
California Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer
The results were dramatic. By the end of the year, 99 lawsuits had been filed, involving over 140 victims. A lawyer quoted in the New York Times wrote that “This law has literally changed their lives…. I've seen a transformation in clients who felt like they had no control, no options and that in essence the perpetrator won again. This law has given them hope.” However, the Catholic Church responded negatively, encouraging parishioners to think of the wave of lawsuits as a grab for money (a newsletter sent by the San Francisco Archdiocese contained the headline “Lawyers Aggressively Seek Sex Abuse Business”).
Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer California
The high volume of lawsuits prompted many judges to consolidate cases. Some dioceses filed for bankruptcy early on in the process in order to limit the amount of damages they could ultimately be responsible for. In many cases, the terms of a settlement required dioceses to release internal documents, but the dioceses (including Los Angeles and San Diego) were slow to comply.
California Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Documents that did emerge shed further light on just how serious the problem was, showing how problem priests had been transferred from one job to another, putting children in danger.
Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer California
The events in California make clear that there is a massive demand for statutes of limitations to be loosened or lifted across the country.. Even in cases that occurred long ago, there is often enough evidence for accusers to win. If other states follow California’s approach, victims around the country will have a chance to seek justice.
California Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer
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