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CV NEWS FEED // The legal window to file a claim of childhood sexual abuse against the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Maryland, closed on May 31, after the Archdiocese received over 500 complaints filed by survivors of child sexual abuse by members of Catholic clergy.
According to local news station 11 News, the window was opened in late 2023 after Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed the Child Victims Act of 2023. The Act eliminated the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse cases, which had previously required claims to be made before a victim’s 38th birthday. Now, there is no legal time limit to file a child sexual abuse claim.
However, the Archdiocese of Baltimore filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy just days before the Act was signed, which effectively established a cutoff for claims filed against the Archdiocese.
Eric Steiner, a lawyer specializing in bankruptcies, explained to 11 News how the Archdiocese’s bankruptcy filed affects childhood sexual abuse victims.
“So, every claim as of a date the archdiocese files for bankruptcy, all claims before that would be cut off,” Steiner said. “What’s called the automatic stay … protects the archdiocese while it’s in bankruptcy. Those claims can no longer be brought in state court or whatever other court. It has to be addressed in the bankruptcy court. The automatic stay is essentially the legal shield. It protects entities, people that file for bankruptcy, and it’s a unique facet of bankruptcy.”
Following the Archdiocese’s bankruptcy filing, the bankruptcy court designated May 31 as the legal limit for claims to be made against the Archdiocese.
According to 11 News, Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori stated:
While the May 31 court deadline relates to filing legal claims, it does not end the moral obligation of the archdiocese to respond compassionately to those who were harmed. We can never undo the harm that was done to many, nor can we lessen the evil of what has happened. We can, however, continue to walk with those who have been harmed and do all we can to contribute to their healing.
In a September 29 statement announcing the Archdiocese’s plan to file for bankruptcy, Lori said that filing is the most effective way to ensure that all victims are equitably compensated.
“Chapter 11 reorganization is the best path forward to compensate equitably all victim-survivors, given the Archdiocese’s limited financial resources, which would have otherwise been exhausted on litigation,” he said at the time. “Staggering legal fees and large settlements or jury awards for a few victim-survivors would have depleted our financial resources, leaving the vast majority of victim-survivors without compensation, while ending ministries that families across Maryland rely on for material and spiritual support.”
He added earlier in the statement:
I acknowledge that no apology, compensation, or knowledge of our present-day accountability measures will necessarily lead to healing for victim survivors, nor repair the harm they suffered. To be sure, conversations with victim-survivors have taught me that neither I nor the Archdiocese can undo what was taken from them. At the same time, the Church cannot and will not abandon its moral responsibility to assist victims and accompany them on their journeys.
