MINNESOTA
Star Tribune
Article by: JEAN HOPFENSPERGER , Star Tribune Updated: March 27, 2014
Files on abusive priests are given later deadline, in court action.
The Twin Cities archdiocese was granted more time to produce roughly 60,000 pages of documents related to its priests accused of child sexual abuse, under a ruling in Ramsey District Court Thursday.
The archdiocese, facing a March 31 deadline for producing the files, argued that the scope of the work for the court required considerably more time.
But with sworn testimony by Archbishop John Nienstedt slated for April 2, Judge John Van de North ordered the church to provide all documents related to sex abuse that occurred under Nienstedt’s tenure to be filed with the court by March 31.
The remainder of the documents have a May 30 deadline, he said.
Van de North also set a Sept. 22 court date for the trial to begin.
“We’re pleased,” said attorney Jeff Anderson, who represents an alleged clergy abuse victim identified as John Doe 1. “The judge is requiring them (the archdiocese) to adhere to some deadlines. We’re moving forward on the depositions. We’re going to get some of the files.’’
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