A federal judge is allowing a small number of sexual abuse lawsuits against the Catholic Diocese of Santa Rosa to proceed to trial, despite the Diocese being in bankruptcy.
According to the Press Democrat, the Diocese filed for Chapter 11 in 2023, pausing about 260 lawsuits due to massive financial liability. The handful of cases now moving forward are intended to establish a financial benchmark, pressuring insurance companies to agree to a global settlement with hundreds of survivors.
For survivors, this decision offers a crucial chance to publicly reveal details of the abuse and cover-up—information that is often kept private during bankruptcy proceedings.
The Diocese oversees 42 parishes and has been linked to abuse at sites like the Hanna Boys Center.