BishopAccountability.org
 
  Judge OKs Fund for Molestation Victims

By Jim Hannah
Cincinnati Enquirer [Ovington KY]
July 20, 2005

COVINGTON – The judge presiding over the nation's only class-action suit alleging sexual abuse by priests gave yet another nod to a proposed settlement.

This time Special Judge John Potter of Louisville put his approval of the agreement in writing.

It was what the Covington Diocese and lawyers for sexual abuse victims were waiting for before they begin the process to compensate victims.

Starting Friday, an advertisement announcing the much-touted settlement plan will be published in USA Today. That advertisement will be followed with the same announcement in newspapers across Kentucky, including the Kentucky Enquirer.

There will be additional radio and television spots. The advertising blitz is to inform potential victims of the settlement fund. Anyone choosing to submit a claim to the fund will be required to submit a confidential form by Nov. 10.

Objections to the compensation fund must be submitted to the court in writing by Dec. 19.

A hearing on whether the proposed settlement is fair is set for Jan. 9, 2006, in the Boone County Justice Center.

The settlement plans were first announced by the diocese and lawyers for the abused on June 3.

The fund will immediately include $40 million provided by the diocese. The diocese has filed suit in federal court in an attempt to force its insurance carriers to contribute $80 million to the compensation fund.

The settlement calls for a special administrator to evaluate the claims and pay the money. The administrator will be asked to divide claims based on the severity and type of abuse. Settlements will range from $5,000 to $450,000.

There is a special clause in the agreement that says people with the most severe abuse can ask for up to an additional $550,000 – meaning the most any one person could receive is $1 million. Both the diocese and plaintiff's attorneys must agree with the administrator for any additional money to be awarded.

Any money not paid out in claims will be given back to the diocese. The blueprint is similar to the one used in Cincinnati. While the money is far greater in Covington – the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's compensation fund was capped at $3 million – the division would be handled in much the same way.

In Cincinnati, a tiered system was used to rank claims by the nature and extent of the abuse: The more severe the abuse, the greater the potential compensation.

 
 

Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.