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  Lawsuit against Archdiocese Settled

Telegraph Herald [Dubuque IA]
August 5, 2000

A lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Dubuque claiming it was liable and negligent in the sexual assault of a boy by a priest has been settled.

The court documents, filed in Dubuque County District Court, say nothing other than the case is settled and that dismissal papers were being circulated for signatures.

In March 1999, a man - identified only as John W. J. Doe - filed a lawsuit against the archdiocese, claiming he was sexually abused by the Rev. John J. Brickley.

Brickley, who is deceased, was a priest in Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Eagle Grove and St. Mary's Catholic Church in Williams.

Doe claimed the abuse began in 1966 when he was 8.

The lawsuit claimed the archdiocese was vicariously liable and negligent because Brickley engaged in criminal conduct while he was employed and accomplished the abuse by virtue of his job-created authority.

Also, the lawsuit claimed, the archdiocese should have known of Brickley's propensities and it failed to supervise his position of trust and authority as a Roman Catholic priest.

 
 

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