Philadelphia Clergy Abuse Lawyer

What the Word "Clergy" Means

“Clergy” is often used to refer to religious leaders. Our state’s law, 42 Pa.C.S. § 5943, addresses rights and responsibilities regarding confidential communications made to clergymen. Within that statute, it groups priests, rabbis, and ministers “of the gospel of any regularly established church or religious organization” (with few exceptions) as falling under the “clergy” umbrella.

Where Does This Abuse Occur?

Much like any other sexual predator, religious leaders who engage in unlawful sexual contact with minors and adult congregants prefer to pounce on their prey, their victims, when they least suspect it. This abuse can occur almost anywhere, including:

• In medical facilities or nursing homes, when visiting injured or ill congregants or residents
• In ministry facilities, including bathrooms, offices, closets, and other rooms
• In vans, buses, and other vehicles belonging to the religious organization
• Congregants’ homes
• Religious schools
• On mission trips and en route to them

Liability in Clergy Abuse Cases

Treatment does not always have to occur at an actual religious institution to allow you to file suit so long as you can show that that individual acting in an official capacity violated your rights. Members of clergy aside, you may be able to hold other parties, such as mandated reporters who suspected or knew the abuse was occurring and did nothing to stop it accountable for their actions.

The key in cases like these is that you should be able to show that the member of clergy or someone else had a duty of care to keep you safe, and they didn’t, which caused you harm with associated losses.

Statutes of Limitations Applicable in PA Clergy Sex Abuse Cases

There’s a defined timeline within which you need to file a civil lawsuit. As an adult, if your abuse occurred pre-January 1, 2019, you’d generally have two years to file a lawsuit either after the abuse actually occurred or you became aware it did. There is an exception for child sexual abuse victims. They used to have until their 20th birthday to file suit since time only began tolling once they became an adult at 18.

However, if your abuse occurred after January 1, 2019, and you’re between the ages of 18 and 24, our state’s laws would give you until your 30th birthday to decide to file a civil lawsuit. Sexual battery victims currently can wait until they’re 55 to do the same.