/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/DH36EBNJ5BOMPAEIT2IMKTZY4Q.jpg)
Lawmakers around the United States have tried to grant justice to victims of decades-old incidents of child sexual abuse by giving them extra time to file lawsuits. Now some of the defendants in these cases, including church and youth organizations, are finding a safe haven: America’s bankruptcy courts.
In New York, nearly 11,000 cases flooded state courts, many seeking to hold Catholic dioceses responsible for sexual abuse by clergy, after a 2019 law suspended statutes of limitations that would have otherwise barred many of the lawsuits. In response, four New York dioceses that collectively faced more than 500 sexual-abuse claims filed for bankruptcy. That halted the cases — and blocked those from anyone who might sue later — and forced the plaintiffs to negotiate a one-time settlement for all abuse claims in bankruptcy court.
The pattern has taken hold across the United States, a Reuters review of bankruptcies precipitated by mass child sexual-abuse litigation found.
Dollar General, the retail giant that promises “convenience, quality brands and low prices”, has agreed to...
A former law enforcement officer in Tennessee is suing his county and sheriff after he was...
After a 137-year struggle, the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina has finally received full federal recognition...
Retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, his immediate family and others on board a business jet were...
