Posts Categorized In: Child Sex Abuse

New Orleans clergy abuse plaintiff can’t move bankruptcy-halted case out of federal court: judge, by Ramon Antonio Vargas, The Times-Picayune-New Orleans Advocate. In May, 2020, more than two dozen clergy abuse lawsuits that had been filed in Orleans Parish civil court were halted because of the Archdiocese of New Orleans bankruptcy proceedings in federal court…. Read More

Many survivors of child sexual abuse struggle with a wide variety of psychological, social, emotional, and personal recovery issues as they mature into adults. Those who survived clergy-perpetrated sexual abuse (CPSA), however, may face additional spiritual challenges. Long-Term Effects According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, adults… Read More

The Archdiocese of New Orleans has removed Acting Deacon V.M. Wheeler from St. Francis Xavier Parish in Old Metairie due to a formal abuse allegation. Wheeler had only been ordained as a deacon and assigned to St. Francis Xavier Parish for 2 years. The abuse allegation occurred 20 years ago. Wheeler is also a partner… Read More

On July 30, 2020, the Lamothe Law Firm attended a hearing in the Archdiocese of New Orleans bankruptcy proceedings in which the Court ruled upon the Archdiocese request that the Court establish a procedure for designating certain documents confidential, including documents containing information about sexual abuse claims. The Creditors Committee, which represents abuse survivors, argued… Read More

The Roman Catholic Church is a global spiritual entity, but in the United States, it is a network of nearly 200 individual archdioceses, dioceses, and parishes overseen and guided by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Each local group has a great deal of financial and decision-making autonomy. Because of this, they have… Read More

The Lamothe Law Firm attended the telephonic hearing regarding the Archdiocese of New Orleans Bankruptcy proceedings held on July 16, 2020. We attended to represent abuse survivors who deserve fair and full compensation for the terrible abuse suffered. This meeting is a step in moving forward to attain that goal. At the hearing, the Application… Read More

The Creditors’ Committee (which includes survivors of alleged abuse) has filed a motion to dismiss the Archdiocese of New Orleans bankruptcy. The Committee says that the bankruptcy was filed “in bad faith” because the intent was not to reorganize or respond to a financial crisis (or any other valid reorganizational purpose), but instead to gain… Read More

The Archdiocese of New Orleans has filed a request asking that U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Meredith Grabill establish September 29, 2020 as the deadline by which every individual who has ever been sexually abused at the hands of an Archdiocese employee must file their claim. This deadline, referred to as a” Bar Date,” includes abuse survivors… Read More

George Brignac died Monday according to an article by reporter Ramon Antonio Vargas in The Advocate/Times-Picayune. Brignac was included on the list of pedophiles that the Archdiocese of New Orleans released on November 2, 2018. This list noted priests and deacons who had been accused of child abuse locally. There were multiple claims against Brignac… Read More