The California Supreme Court is set to have a hearing to rule on whether six brothers can sue the Catholic Diocese of Oakland for alleged clergy abuse from the 1970's, reports sfgate.com. Earlier the plaintiff's lawsuit had been dismissed, as it was required by a California ruling that past clergy abuse suits must be filed by 2003. However, later the State Appeals Court allowed suits for three more years if an individual discovers that their psychological disorders were found to have been caused by the clergy abuse. This case may open the door for many more clergy abuse suits to be brought forward in California.
The brothers claim in the suit that a Reverend Donald Broderson, who was a priest in Concord during the early 1970's, abused all six of them. Published reports have quoted Broderson as admitting in a deposition that he had committed the crime of sexual abuse with children during that time, naming the plaintiffs as some of his victims.
The suit also claims that the Diocese was aware of the abuse and moved the priest to different parishes but eventually forced him to resign in the early 1990's. Several clergy abuse lawsuites naming Rev. Broderson have already been settled by the Diocese, although he was never charged with the crime.
Irwin Zalkin, the clergy abuse lawyer for the brothers, says that Churches who have "known about the abuse for decades" should not be immune to such suits. Many later psychological disorders, such as alcoholism or other problems can stem from childhood sexual abuse.
If you or a loved one has been a victim of clergy abuse, it can be very difficult to discuss it with anyone. However, with the help of a clergy abuse attorney one can at least bring the case to light and get some kind of closure, and the compensation that is only fair for such crimes. The legal team at the Zalkin Law Firm can assist you with clergy abuse cases and understands the difficulties that you face.
