GREAT FALLS (MT)
MTN News

August 14, 2018

A federal bankruptcy judge in Montana approved a $20 million settlement between the Diocese of Great Falls/ Billings and survivors of sexual abuse.

The settlement ended a seven-year lawsuit involving 86 plaintiffs who had they had been sexually abused by Catholic nuns and priests from the 1950s through the 1990s, according to a news release from Tamaki Law Offices, which represents 38 of the victims.

The diocese’s insurer, Catholic Mutual, will pay $8 million of the settlement. The remaining $12 million will be divided as follows: $5 million from the Diocese, $4 million from individual parishes, $2 million from the Catholic Foundation of Eastern Montana and $1 million from St. Labre Indian School.

The Diocese filed for bankruptcy protection in March 2017, just months before multiple jury trials were scheduled to start.

During trial, the victims’ attorneys said they were planning…