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Clergy Sex Abuse Cases Stayed Because of Settlement Talks

By Haidee V. Eugenio
Pacific Daily News
April 2, 2018

https://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2018/04/02/clergy-sex-abuse-cases-stayed-because-settlement-talks/477235002/

Guam's clergy sex abuse cases have been stayed, which means the proceedings have been suspended, in light of the parties' ongoing settlement negotiations.

Parties in the federal and local lawsuits against the Archdiocese of Agana and others associated with the Catholic Church are pursuing mediation to try to settle some 160 complaints of child sex abuse against priests and other clergy.

If out-of-court settlement fails, then motions can be renewed or refiled.

U.S. District Court of Guam Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood ordered a stay in the cases on March 30, after a recent status hearing wherein the parties indicated they would withdraw all pending motions in the clergy sex abuse cases in the interests of facilitating settlement and streamlining the court's docket "with leave to refile at a later date in the event settlement cannot be reached."

"The clerk shall terminate all pending motions as withdrawn. Any party may move to renew any previously pending motions as necessary at the conclusion of the pending settlement proceedings," the judge said in her order.

Archdiocese currently getting statements

The Archdiocese of Agana is currently getting sworn statements from plaintiffs as part of the pre-mediation process. Many of the lawsuits seek a minimum of $5 million or $10 million in damages.

Mediation has been reset for Sept. 17 to 19. The mediator in the case, Antonio Piazza of the San Francisco-based Mediated Negotiations, will be on Guam for the three-day mediation.

 

 

 

 

 




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