BishopAccountability.org
	Tucson Diocese Files Asset Disclosure By Sandy Rathbun KVOA [Tucson AZ] April 28, 2005 New details are in from the Diocese of Tucson on how it proposes to pay the victims of the sexual abuse scandal. Church lawyers filed the plan shortly before midnight Monday. The document is important because, for the first time, the Diocese of Tucson is discussing dollar amounts. The Diocese proposes to limit its payout to alleged sex abuse victims to $20 million. Alleged victims would collect between $100,000 and $600,000 each. The exact amount would be based on criteria including their age, emotional injury and how long the abuse lasted. Minors would receive the most money. The Diocese reports 108 individuals filed sex abuse claims, but it believes only roughly 30 meet strict legal standards. It offers to pay others $15,000. Neither the diocese nor its attorneys will talk on TV, insisting that court is the proper place to talk, but the diocese's plan states it will "fairly, justly, and equitably compensate the victims of sexual abuse by clergy, while allowing the diocese to continue its ministry and mission." Attorney Lynne Cadigan, who represents most of the alleged victims, calls the plan a first step. Cadigan says, "We have problems with it. Lots of people will have problems with it, but it's a roadmap. It's a beginning." Specifically, Cadigan objects to the diocese's payout limit. The way it would work, the diocese wants to collect money to pay victims from various sources, including insurance companies, and keep anything it collects over $20 million. Cadigan says, "Why should the diocese get money back from insurance companies who are insuring for sex abuse when the diocese themselves caused the sex abuse." Cadigan hopes disputes can be resolved quickly. Eventually, the bankruptcy court, alleged victims and other diocese creditors have to approve any plan.