A New York judge rules that religious organizations are subject to secular negligence laws regarding the supervision of school employees.
TLDR (Too Long / Didn’t Read Summary)
A New York trial court denied a motion by the Archdiocese of New York to dismiss a lawsuit filed under the Child Victims Act. The plaintiff, John Doe XXV, alleges he was sexually abused by a school janitor during the 1970s while attending Our Lady of Mount Carmel School. The Archdiocese argued that First Amendment protections shielded it from liability and that it lacked an employer relationship with the parish staff. The court found that neutral legal principles allow for claims of negligent hiring and supervision against religious entities. Evidence in the record indicates that several reports of the staff member’s conduct were made to school officials and dismissed. The case will now proceed to a jury trial to determine the extent of the Archdiocese’s control and notice of the abuse.
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