MINNESOTA
Minnesota Public Radio
Jon Collins Jun 17, 2015
The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis is seeking to hire a former federal prosecutor to fend off criminal and civil charges filed against the archdiocese in Ramsey County earlier this month.
The hiring of Joseph Dixon III of the Fredrikson & Byron law firm would cost the cash-strapped archdiocese about $400 an hour, which Dixon said in an engagement letter “represents a substantial discount” over his normal rates. The assistance of a second associate at the firm would cost the
The archdiocese is asking the bankruptcy court to allow the expenses in order to protect its assets from repercussions of the Ramsey County charges.
“The County Attorney Actions are directed against the Archdiocese as an entity, rather than against any individuals within the Archdiocese organization, and require immediate response by the Archdiocese,” according to documents filed by the archdiocese Tuesday. “The County Attorney Actions may affect the availability to the estate of insurance coverage for claims based on the same facts.”
The archdiocese is also arguing that a conviction in the criminal case could increase the archdiocese’s liability in claims related to clergy abuse.
“The criminal action against the Archdiocese could have serious repercussions on the estate’s finances, which relies on the goodwill and support of parishioners,” the archdiocese argues in the court filings.
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