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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 North DakotaSexual 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. Priest Sexual Abuse Lawyer North Dakota
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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. North Dakota Priest Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Victims of Child Sexual Abuse in Twin Cities’ Catholic Churches Get $210 Million
The St. Paul and Minneapolis Archdiocese has reached an agreement with survivors of sexual abuse at the hands of more than 400 priests and clergy. The settlement was part of a plan to end bankruptcy and compensate the victims by putting the funds into a bank account to later be distributed. The Chapter 11 bankruptcy was sought out in 2015 by the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis due to mounting costs which were tied to sexual abuse by priests claims. During the same time frame, Catholic churches across the nation were dealing with mounting cases of child sexual abuse and it seems no state was left unscathed.
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Survivors of the abuse in the Twin Cities area had waited for almost 41 months since the time the church filed bankruptcy. There are about 450 victims that will receive funds from the settlement, although the portion of money can in no way justify the gross abuse or negligence of Catholic church officials. What is promising for victims is that as more and more cases of abuse are brought forth, the church will have to address the crimes and take accountability.
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Not the First Time
This is not the first time the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis has been targeted for child sexual abuse. In October 2014, a man filed a suit against Rev. Thomas Adamson, stating Adamson had sexually abused him in the 70s. The lawsuit claimed that the Catholic church knew about Adamson and covered up his crimes, keeping any information or allegations against priests secret. Adamson is no longer a priest.
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When the current lawsuit was filed, attorneys for the sexually abused victims said the archdiocese was worth over $1 billion dollars. The archdiocese told the courts it was only worth $45 million, a vast difference in numbers. According to lawyers for the victims, they estimated the amount by adding in all entities that fell under the diocese, including schools and all parishes.
In the past, federal appeals courts have sided with the Catholic church in saying that other entities of the church, such as schools, are separate and shouldn’t be held accountable as their assets are completely separate from the diocese. In prior cases that are similar in nature to this one, the courts have rarely sided with the plaintiffs. This means less money for the victims, but what is just as important as the money, is that the churches are held accountable for their actions and do what it takes to make sure this type of abuse no longer occurs.
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