Groups want out of legal battle with diocese

Nashville, Tennessee --

Lawyers for six Catholic organizations are asking a judge to leave them out of the continuing legal battle between two molestation victims and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nashville.

The organizations, including two area Catholic high schools, say they are not owned by the diocese and that they should not be forced to turn over their financial records to plaintiffs in the case.


Representatives of all six businesses were subpoenaed by the plaintiffs' lawyers and asked to provide numerous records. Last month, Davidson County Circuit Judge Walter Kurtz said plaintiffs should be entitled to look at the financial records of the individual church parishes and Catholic businesses.

In court documents, the businesses say the subpoenas are "unreasonable and oppressive."

For example, officials at Father Ryan High School say, the subpoena "asked for virtually every financial record, piece of correspondence, board documents and government submissions since 1927, the date the high school was founded," according to filings.

Lawyers for the parties refused to comment or did not return phone calls. Kurtz has issued an order "requesting" that attorneys and church officials not speak to the media until after the trial. The trial is scheduled for March 2006.

At issue is how much the diocese is worth. The answer could mean millions of dollars if the plaintiffs prevail and are awarded punitive damages.

Read the article at tennessean.com Dated July 18, 2005

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