What Is Happening in the Archdiocese of Baltimore?
The Maryland Attorney General’s Office has completed and released a report detailed report of allegations of abuse in the Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore, committed by priests, teachers, and other archdiocese employees. The Archdiocese of Baltimore includes 153 parishes, 40 elementary schools, and 18 high schools.
The public outcry over these abuses by clergy and other Church staff members has prompted many survivors to come forward. Those who suffered in silence for years finally have learned they are not alone. Indeed, in recent years, thousands of victims have come forward with their stories of sexual misconduct at the hands of Catholic Church staff. Many more survivors are expected to come forward with the passage of the Maryland Child Victims Act (CVA), which went into effect on October 1st.
The CVA abolishes the statute of limitations that has stopped countless survivors of clergy sexual abuse from taking legal action. Regrettably, however, the Archdiocese filed for bankruptcy on September 29, just days before the Act was set to take effect. Survivors now have to find financial compensation through a bankruptcy mediation and allocation program and not through the civil jury system. (Note that the automatic stay that precludes lawsuits against the Archdiocese may not apply to every parish).
Survivor & Advocate Stories
David Schappelle: Survivor
Steven J. Kelly, Esquire: Survivor
Christopher ‘Kit’ Bateman: Survivor
Gemma Hoskins: An Advocate for Survivors
Carolyn Surrick: Survivor
Kurt Rupprecht: Survivor
Donna Von Den Bosch: Survivor
Frank Schindler: Survivor
Mary Beth Diaz: Family Member of Survivor
You Are Not Alone. Jenner Law Is Here to Help Survivors of Sexual Abuse.
The Maryland Child Victims Act allows you to take legal action for the abuse you’ve suffered, although this may be through our firm can provide the compassionate legal counsel you need to feel comfortable and secure about coming forward with a claim. From simply listening to your story without judgment to helping you navigate the complexities of compensation programs; we are ready to help Baltimore abuse survivors find justice and healing.
Our injury law firm of trauma-informed legal professionals has more than three decades of experience working with survivors of sexual abuse and litigating cases of sexual predators and the institutions that enable them. Contact us today. Your information will remain completely confidential.
What Are you Doing to Help Sexual Abuse Survivors?
We believe sexual predators — and their institutional enablers — need to be held accountable for their horrendous actions. Our lawyers and professional, trauma-informed, and trained staff seek to hold the sexual predators and their intuitional enablers accountable to the fullest extent of the law and help our clients move forward toward healing.
We support the efforts of the Survivors Network for Those Abused by Priests (“SNAP”) and the Maryland Crime Victims Resource Center (“MCVRC”). This is one way Jenner Law is helping survivors use their voices to hold the predators and enablers accountable to the fullest extent of the law. By supporting SNAP and MCVRC, we aim to help our clients move forward toward healing. We hope you will consider supporting these groups, as well, and we have provided convenient links to their websites.
Donate to the Survivors Network of those Abused by PriestsJenner Law Compassionately Seeks Justice for Survivors of Sexual Abuse.
With an exclusive personal injury practice, Jenner Law is committed to helping people and families obtain the best possible resolution for their sexual abuse cases. Jenner Law has the legal expertise and passion to tackle any obstacles that may be encountered in the litigation process.
Who Will Speak for the Survivors of Clergy Abuse?
The abuse of hundreds of children is a wildly disturbing subject, but what is even more disturbing is the pattern of response indicated in the tens of thousands of pages that were recently released. It’s clear that Accused priests were simply moved or promoted.
Many priests were placed back into the ministry. Others were sent to sham “treatment” centers (such as the St. Luke’s Center in Silver Spring) and then were reassigned to different parishes. Although Baltimore Archdiocese officials pass the blame to their predecessors and deny any attempts to cover up abuse scandals, it appears that there were severe problems with how these cases were handled.
Attorneys Advocating For You
Contact Us for More Information on the Archdiocese of Baltimore Clergy Abuse Case
For more information, speak to one of our experienced, compassionate, and trauma-informed lawyers and paralegals today at 888-585-2188. You can also fill out the form on this page to schedule a confidential, free consultation to discuss your situation.
Jenner Law cares and we are here for you every step of the way. When you’re ready to talk, we’re ready to listen.