In what is a victory for all Survivors who find themselves part of a Diocese bankruptcy, a Survivor abused by a Diocese of Winona NY priest has been awarded $7.6 million by a jury.  This is an important development because the defendant in the lawsuit was US Fire Insurance, an insurer who chose not to settle with the Official Committee of Survivors in the Winona bankruptcy.  Now, that insurer is liable for this settlement and the costs associated with its defense.  Further information regarding the Winona decision can be found at Survivor Abused by Diocese of Winona Priest Sees Victory in the Courtroom, Awarded $7.6 Million – Jeff Anderson and Associates

Adversary Proceeding: In April 2025, the Committee filed a lawsuit against the Archdiocese in an action that is proceeding parallel to the Archdiocese’s bankruptcy case. This parallel action (also known as an “adversary proceeding”) was filed by the Committee to specifically address the issue of charitable immunity. In Maryland, the doctrine of charitable immunity acts as a bar to recovery of any Archdiocese assets that were received by way of charitable donations. The Committee is seeking a finding from the court that charitable immunity will not preclude such available assets to Survivors in the bankruptcy case. Recently, a scheduling order was entered that dictates the timeline for this proceeding. If the parties proceed to trial, the scheduling order contemplates that trial will take place in December 2025. The timeline is subject to change and depends on how the case progresses.

The Official Committee of Survivors of Sexual Abuse is fully engaged in this bankruptcy and would like to share this case update:

1. Survivor Impact Statements: In 2024, fourteen Survivors presented their impact statements before Judge Harner and in the presence of the Archbishop. The statements were powerful and extremely effective in increasing engagement and understanding by the Archdiocese and Judge. The Committee recently made a request for a third Survivor statement hearing before the court. The Archdiocese responded to the Committee’s request asking that the hearing be held closer to the end of the case and that only certain Survivors with bankruptcy claims against the Archdiocese be permitted to be heard. The Committee objected to the Archdiocese’s request at a recent status conference.  The parties await the court’s decision. The Committee is hopeful that the court will schedule a third hearing to hear Survivor statements in the near future.  We will update this website when a decision is reached.

2. CVA Developments and Amendment: On April 3, 2025, the Maryland legislature passed an amendment to the Maryland Child Victim’s Act that changes the amount of maximum award available to Survivors. Specifically, the change reduced the amount Survivors can collect against a defendant, like the Archdiocese, from $1,500,000 to $700,000 for lawsuits filed after May 31, 2025. Soon after the amendment was passed, the Committee filed a motion requesting that the bankruptcy court clarify whether Survivors needed to sue the Archdiocese and its parishes to preserve the $1.5 million cap, if Survivors had already filed claims in the bankruptcy case. Judge Harner issued a decision that allowed Survivors to sue the Archdiocese, and all members of the Catholic enterprise (parishes, schools, etc.), in venues outside of the bankruptcy case. Many lawsuits were filed by May 31 and were initiated to preserve the $1.5 million cap.  These lawsuits will stay dormant while the bankruptcy case moves forward. This outcome was a victory for Survivors. If the Committee had not acted, Survivors could have lost at least $800,000,000 in recovery against the Archdiocese alone, and even more against its parishes and schools.

3. Survivor Website, Follow-Up Questions, Resources and Subscription: For additional information about the case, please refer to this website where you will find all the case updates, an overview of the bankruptcy process, as well as resources for Survivors. We hope that these resources will be helpful to you.  Also, on the top right of each webpage you’ll find a place to enter your email address and be informed when the website is updated.  Many Survivors have subscribed and report that it’s very helpful in staying updated and not having to check back repeatedly.  If you have any questions about the website or additional resources that you think would be helpful to other Survivors, please reach out to team member Doug Kennedy via doug.kennedy@stinson.com.

The Committee and its legal professionals with Stinson LLP understand that navigating this legal process can be challenging. The Committee remains fully committed in its dedication to fighting for Survivors and pursuing the best possible outcome. If you are a Survivor and are represented by an attorney, then they are best suited to discussing your individual case.  If you are not represented by an attorney, or simply have questions about the bankruptcy process, feel free to contact the Stinson team via Baltimoresurvivorteam@stinson.com with questions or concerns.