Church settlement clears hurdle
Covington, Kentucky --
A special judge has agreed to expand the class of people eligible for a record settlement with the Diocese of Covington and is allowing publication and advertising of the agreement to proceed.
In an order filed Wednesday, Special Judge John Potter gave his formal preliminary approval to the settlement, which is meant to end a class-action lawsuit alleging a half-century of sexual abuse by priests and its coverup by the diocese.
Potter previously gave preliminary approval after a hearing in Boone Circuit Court, where the case was filed. But his order Wednesday put the approval in writing.
"The court preliminarily approves the settlement but reserves its final decision until after a fairness hearing, and will order than notice be given to the class of the proposed settlement," Potter wrote.
That hearing is scheduled for Jan. 9. Anyone who objects to the settlement must do so in writing by Dec. 19.
The agreement guarantees victims $40 million from the diocese.
That amount could increase up to $120 million if attorneys are successful in pressing their claims against two companies who insured the diocese.
The diocese is suing insurers in federal court, and Stan Chesley, who represents the victims, has joined the diocese.
If the $120 million figure is reached, it will be the largest settlement thus far in the Roman Catholic Church's sexual abuse scandal in the United States.
Thus far, tallies have shown that the Church has paid out more than $1 billion across the United States as a result of priests and other religious figures abusing children and young adults.
Read the article at The Cincinnati Post Dated July 21, 2005
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A special judge has agreed to expand the class of people eligible for a record settlement with the Diocese of Covington and is allowing publication and advertising of the agreement to proceed.
In an order filed Wednesday, Special Judge John Potter gave his formal preliminary approval to the settlement, which is meant to end a class-action lawsuit alleging a half-century of sexual abuse by priests and its coverup by the diocese.
Potter previously gave preliminary approval after a hearing in Boone Circuit Court, where the case was filed. But his order Wednesday put the approval in writing.
"The court preliminarily approves the settlement but reserves its final decision until after a fairness hearing, and will order than notice be given to the class of the proposed settlement," Potter wrote.
That hearing is scheduled for Jan. 9. Anyone who objects to the settlement must do so in writing by Dec. 19.
The agreement guarantees victims $40 million from the diocese.
That amount could increase up to $120 million if attorneys are successful in pressing their claims against two companies who insured the diocese.
The diocese is suing insurers in federal court, and Stan Chesley, who represents the victims, has joined the diocese.
If the $120 million figure is reached, it will be the largest settlement thus far in the Roman Catholic Church's sexual abuse scandal in the United States.
Thus far, tallies have shown that the Church has paid out more than $1 billion across the United States as a result of priests and other religious figures abusing children and young adults.
Read the article at The Cincinnati Post Dated July 21, 2005
posted by God Almighty Himself at 6:23 PM
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