OGDENSBURG (NY)
Syracuse.com [Syracuse NY]
May 19, 2026
By Bob Beckstead | Watertown Daily Times, N.Y. (TNS)
The Diocese of Ogdensburg will pay $45 million to settle lawsuits that were filed against it for childhood sexual abuse claims under the Child Victims Act.
The legal firm of Jeff Anderson & Associates announced the settlement on Tuesday. They partnered with LaFave, Wein, Frament & Karic to represent 58 survivors who brought claims against the diocese.
The $45 million settlement includes contributions from the Diocese of Ogdensburg, its parishes, schools and other Catholic entities within the diocese.
In addition to the financial settlement, the Survivor Committee and the diocese will continue negotiations regarding significant non-monetary provisions, including enhancements to child protection policies and the public disclosure of information related to clergy and other personnel accused of sexual abuse.
“This is a testament to the survivors’ courage, perseverance, and unwavering demand for reckoning,” Jeff Anderson said in a statement.
Earlier this year, a federal judge approved an order allowing the Catholic Diocese of Syracuse to emerge from bankruptcy. That started the process of distributing $176 million to hundreds of people who were sexually abused by clergy and other church staff.
The Diocese of Ogdensburg filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in July 2023 in response to 125 claims of child sexual abuse. The claims date back decades, from the 1940s through 1990s prior to the institution of the diocese’s safe environment policies and procedures.
A release from the diocese said the settlement represents “an important milestone” in their reorganization case.
“The Catholic Family has reached a settlement in principle with the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors (the ‘Committee’), who represents the interests of the survivors in the Chapter 11 case, under which the Catholic Family will contribute $45 million to a survivor Trust to be formed under a plan of Reorganization (the ‘Plan’) to be developed and proposed jointly by the Diocese and the Committee,“ the release said.
The committee was appointed by the U.S. Trustee to represent all survivors who filed claims against the diocese and other members of the Catholic Family.
“This settlement in principle between the Diocese and the Committee is an important first step in forming a Chapter 11 plan that will lead to the Diocese emerging from Chapter 11,” the release said. “Once the Plan is confirmed by the Bankruptcy Court, the $45 million contributed to the survivor Trust by the Catholic Family will be available for distribution to survivors of sexual abuse perpetrated against them by clergy, religious, lay employees and volunteers.”
The plan will be subject to a vote of all claimants in the chapter 11 case, including survivors of abuse, and must be confirmed by the Bankruptcy Court before its terms, including payment of the Catholic Family settlement, will become effective. However, the $45 million settlement in principle has been accepted by the committee.
“The Diocese anticipates that the Trust will also be funded by amounts paid by insurers who provided coverage that is applicable to the abuse claims asserted against the Catholic family. Any insurance recoveries paid to the trust will be in addition to the $45 million to be paid by the Catholic Family. Negotiations with the insurance carriers are ongoing,” the release said.
“The Diocese of Ogdensburg is committed to ensuring the safety of all persons entrusted to our care,” Bishop Terry R. LaValley said in a statement. “The great harm that has been caused by this sinful behavior must never be allowed to happen again. It is my sincere hope that this process has brought the survivors some comfort and peace.”
Once the plan is approved, the diocese and insurance carriers will pay into the settlement trust for the survivors, and the diocese will emerge out of bankruptcy.
“My hope and prayer is that this process will bring peace and healing to all survivors and to all the faithful whose hearts were broken by the gravely sinful conduct of Church leaders. I pray that this settlement will bring healing to all,” LaValley said.