For decades, the Catholic Church responded to credible allegations of clergy abuse by making employment changes rather than holding offending priests accountable. Frequently, priests accused of abuse by minors or their parents received transfers either to different parishes in another state or sometimes to international locations.
The goal was to separate the abusive priests from those who knew about their abuse. For those who experienced abuse in Louisiana, it may feel disheartening to learn that an abusive priest has moved to another state or country.
Is it still possible to file a civil lawsuit in Louisiana if a priest involved in clergy abuse is no longer in the state?
Jurisdiction largely depends on the location of the crime
Successful clergy abuse litigation could be all but impossible if the law required that everyone remain in the same jurisdiction indefinitely. Thankfully, civil litigation is often possible even after the relocation of individual clergy members to different parishes, states or countries. Provided that the victim of clergy abuse or their parents have evidence of what occurred, they can initiate a lawsuit against the church in Louisiana.
Even in cases where the individual clergy member is no longer alive, the lawsuit against the Church itself might be possible. Especially in cases where it is clear that the Church took steps to hide the issue instead of reporting it to law enforcement authorities, litigation could be an option, despite the priest leaving the area or dying.
Reviewing records of clergy abuse with a skilled legal team can help struggling families understand their legal rights. A lawsuit against the church can potentially help to compensate families for the prior and likely future expenses associated with sexual abuse conducted by an authority figure.