BALTIMORE (MD)
WYPR - National Public Radio [Baltimore MD]
August 12, 2025
By Scott Maucione
Survivors of childhood abuse perpetrated by the Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore will be able to continue telling their stories during the Church’s bankruptcy proceedings, according to a memo from U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Michelle Harner.
Insurance companies holding policies with the Baltimore Archdiocese opposed those testimonies because the companies felt they could sway the court.
Century Indemnity Company had formally issued an objection to the court about further testimony.
“The insurance companies were concerned that repeatedly hearing the horrors and the tragedies would somehow skew the court and the media and public opinion would somehow influence how the court might rule on certain matters,” said Robert Jenner, a managing partner at Jenner Law, which represents the victims.
In her memo, Harner acknowledged that the healing process is not just monetary for the victims and involves stating their story publicly.
“Allowing Survivors to participate in a status conference or other non-evidentiary proceeding before the court poses no greater risk of bias or prejudice than providing similar opportunities to any other party in interest in a bankruptcy case,” Harner wrote. “This Court frequently hears statements from parties in interest in the courtroom that are not evidence or offered as part of an evidentiary hearing or trial. The Court can allow parties to speak without prejudicing the record.”
Victims recently expressed frustration at the length of the bankruptcy proceedings.
It’s been nearly two years since the Church filed for bankruptcy.
One survivor wrote about their frustration to U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Harner last week.
“What started as a positive situation as the rust of a newly enacted law by the Maryland legislature years ago has developed into what one might describe as a circus,” the survivor wrote. Who do the victims believe and what can they believe? Especially when there is almost complete secrecy surrounding this case.”
The survivor expressed further concern that the 12 law firms and financial organizations working the bankruptcy case have taken home nearly $11 million, according to court documents.
According to Theresa Lancaster, a lawyer and survivor, the mediation process has been slowed by the insurance companies.
“They’ll throw anything at the court to try to stop it,” Lancaster said of the insurance companies. “The insurance companies are claiming that the testimonies are improper, but we say that it’s more than the money, it’s about the actual lives behind it. A lot of these people have suffered irreparable harm, and some tragically took their own lives as a result of childhood rape and that that should be known.”
Lancaster said it’s possible that if a solution isn’t found soon that Harner may throw out the bankruptcy case, forcing victims to sue the church individually.