Marquette Diocese Priest Sex Abuse Lawsuits

Lawyers Helping Families Harmed by Priest Sex Abuse in the Marquette Diocese

Priest sexual abuse in Michigan's Marquette Diocese is a deep problem that affects adult survivors, their families, their parishes and the broader Catholic community in the state of Michigan. Priest sexual abuse in the Marquette Diocese broke a sacred trust and led to decades of (often silent) suffering. New legislation in Michigan has given clergy sexual abuse survivors in the Marquette Diocese new rights to report child sexual abuse that happened decades ago.

Now, survivors of priest sexual abuse in Michigan's Marquette Diocese can finally seek justice and much-deserved compensation in a court of law. Supported by loved ones, many survivors are taking the brave and healing step of reporting their experience of child sexual abuse at the hands of a Marquette Diocese priest, bishop, or other Catholic clergy member for the first time, sometimes many decades after the events took place.

Leading up to the expansion of survivors' legal rights to report child sexual abuse in the Marquette Diocese of Michigan, the Michigan Attorney General's office has been engaged in a multi-year investigation to unearth the long and deep history of priest and clergy sexual abuse in the Marquette Diocese. To date, more than 450 Catholic clergy members in the Marquette Diocese and other Catholic dioceses around the state have been accused of inflicting sex abuse on children and youth. Over 800 survivors have come forward to report incidents of priest sexual abuse from their childhoods. Many bishops, priests, and other clergy members in the Marquette Diocese have been accused of multiple acts of sexual abuse. To avoid scandal, priests accused of child sexual abuse may have been shuffled to a new parish within the Marquette Diocese, or to another diocese or state–where they went on to inflict more harm. To date, eleven clergy members have been convicted of priest sex abuse, in the Marquette Diocese and others.

Even if the abuse occurred decades ago, you may now be eligible to file a Marquette Diocese priest sexual abuse lawsuit. Contact our Michigan priest sexual abuse attorneys serving the Marquette Diocese for a free, confidential consultation to see if you qualify.

When California passed similar legislation in 2002, Catholic dioceses there paid $1.2 billion in priest sex abuse settlements. Similar payouts have followed in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, after those states expanded the rights of survivors to report priest sexual abuse dating back decades. Damages may include past and future medical expenses related to the abuse (including mental health needs), emotional suffering, and punitive damages.

Deciding to report priest sexual abuse is a very personal choice and the wishes of the survivor always come first. As experienced personal injury attorneys, our priest sexual abuse lawyers for the Marquette Diocese have worked with countless families through the most difficult time in their lives. If you are a survivor of priest sexual abuse in the Marquette Diocese, we want you to know that what happened to you was not your fault. It is our mission to seek justice on behalf of you and others like you, and to help you access the compensation you need and deserve.

Some survivors say that filing a claim for clergy sexual abuse in the Marquette Diocese can help in your healing process. Filing a Marquette Diocese clergy sexual abuse lawsuit also sends a strong message that this type of behavior is not tolerated in Michigan's Marquette Diocese any longer.

If you would like to learn more about filing a claim, contact our firm for a free consultation. Our primary goal is to assist and support survivors in Michigan's Marquette Diocese as they take this brave step--bringing our expertise, considerable resources and determination to win on your behalf.

Marquette Diocese Priest Sex Abuse Lawsuits

Reporting harm that happened during your past can take a tremendous amount of courage. Yet adult survivors say that filing a Marquette Diocese priest sex abuse lawsuit can be an important step in the healing process. First, filing a clergy sexual abuse lawsuit in Michigan's Marquette Diocese can serve to hold Marquette Diocese, parish or school leaders accountable for their failure to protect children. Second, you may be entitled to significant compensation for the pain and suffering you have experienced over the years. Read full information on filing a confidential priest sex abuse lawsuit in Michigan's Marquette Diocese.

Marquette Diocese Priest Sex Abuse Lawsuit FAQs

Our attorneys have compiled a list of common Marquette Diocese clergy sex abuse lawsuit questions and answers. From your role in a lawsuit to confidentiality, the cost of filing a claim to details on who is eligible to report, this page answers the most common Marquette Diocese priest sex abuse lawsuit questions received by our firm. To ask specific questions about your circumstances, our attorneys are providing free and confidential case reviews. Read full clergy sexual abuse lawsuit questions and answers for Michigan's Marquette Diocese.

Marquette Diocese Priest Sexual Abuse Attorneys

Our team of Michigan priest sexual abuse attorneys serving the Marquette Diocese bring great care to the work of representing adult survivors. We understand the sensitive nature of disclosing harm and trauma in your past. Through confidential and free case reviews, our Catholic clergy sexual abuse attorneys for Michigan's Marquette Diocese can give you a sense of your legal rights and options. Read full information on legal representation from our priest sex abuse lawyers for Marquette Diocese claims.

Marquette Diocese Priest Sex Abuse Lawsuits

Survivors of Priest Sexual Abuse in Michigan's Marquette Diocese Have New Rights Under Expanded Statute of Limitations

If you or a loved one is an adult survivor of sexual abuse by a Catholic priest or clergy member in Michigan's Marquette Diocese, you may have new and expanded rights to file a Marquette Diocese priest sexual abuse lawsuit to recover compensation for damages.

In 2023, the Michigan legislature made landmark changes enabling survivors of child sexual abuse to pursue justice in a court of law for incidents that took place decades ago. This change comes in the wake of a multi-year investigation by the office of the Michigan Attorney General into priest sexual abuse allegations dating back to the 1970s.

More than 450 priests from the Marquette Diocese and others have been implicated in over 800 allegations of Michigan priest sexual abuse--so far. Now these survivors can bring forward Marquette Diocese priest sexual abuse lawsuits and seek damages for the associated pain, suffering and loss. Michigan priest sexual abuse lawsuits aim to hold institutions, such as the Marquette Diocese and its parishes and schools, responsible for harm caused to the children and youth in their care.

Marquette Diocese Priest Sexual Abuse Lawsuits Bring Institutions to Justice

Priest sex abuse lawsuits in Michigan's Marquette Diocese enable adult survivors and their family members to seek compensation for the pain and suffering resulting from these horrible incidents. Michigan follows several other states including California, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania in expanding the statute of limitations, and our attorneys anticipate the Michigan Catholic Church will establish a victims compensation to handle the large number of claims that can be expected from the Marquette Diocese and others.

Even if the abuse occurred decades ago, you may be eligible for compensation under Michigan's new law. Contact our Marquette Diocese priest sex abuse attorneys for a free consultation.

Alongside the ongoing statewide investigation by the Office of the Michigan Attorney General, each Marquette Diocese priest sex abuse lawsuit will help to prevent future sexual abuse of children by Marquette Diocese priests, sending a message to both perpetrators and institutions that priest sexual abuse will no longer be tolerated in the Marquette Diocese of Michigan. Our attorneys handling Marquette Diocese priest sex abuse lawsuits are committed to bringing to justice each of the seven Catholic dioceses in Michigan, along with their hundreds of parishes, schools and summer camps, no matter how complex the case.

Filing a Marquette Diocese priest sexual abuse lawsuit can be an important step in the healing process for victims who were abused by a priest or youth group leader in their childhood. Many adults who experienced sexual abuse during childhood have kept the experience buried emotionally if not completely unspoken for decades. It is not uncommon to find adult survivors of Marquette Diocese priest sexual abuse have suffered from unexplained challenges such as addiction, anxiety or depression. Confronting abuse and mistreatment you experienced as a child is a difficult and painful process, but it can lead to vital healing.

Marquette Diocese Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawsuits

If you or a member of your family experienced sexual abuse at the hands of a priest or Catholic clergy member in the Marquette Diocese, you may qualify to file a priest sexual abuse lawsuit to recover compensation for emotional and physical suffering and its impacts throughout life. Filing Marquette Diocese priest sex abuse lawsuits is the only way for adult survivors and their families to access compensation or hold the parish or diocese accountable for resultant harm and suffering.

Our attorneys are accepting priest sexual abuse lawsuits from Michigan's Marquette Diocese, and offer no-cost, no-obligation case review for persons throughout the Marquette Diocese who were sexually abused by a member of the Catholic clergy. To discuss your situation in detail with an attorney and to learn about survivors' rights to file priest sex abuse lawsuits in the Marquette Diocese, please complete our online contact form. One of our attorneys handling Marquette Diocese priest sex abuse lawsuits will contact you promptly.

Priests accused of sexual abuse from parishes in the Marquette Diocese:

• Father Thomas Anderson He was ordained to the Diocese of Marquette in 1933. The Michigan A.G. 10/22 report mentions that in 2002, a man acknowledged in front of the diocese that Anderson sexually abused him, including sodomy, between 1963 and 1967. The man was studying grades 1 to 5 during this period at St. Agnes in Iron River. When the man complained to his teacher, he was called a liar and was expelled from the school to continue his studies in the 6th grade. Later in 2020, another man came forward alleging abuse by Anderson in Kingsford when the accuser was about nine years old. Anderson expired in 1981.
• Father Casimir Adaslewicz Father Adaslewicz of the Diocese of Marquette was reported to have raped a girl aged 7 in and around 1965, per Michigan A.G. 10/22 report. He passed away on April 13, 1981, and the accusation was received in 2008 by the Diocese. The accusation was that Father Adaslewicz molested and raped the girl at Sacred Heart in L'anse. It was alleged that he reportedly threatened the girl that he would have her brother killed if she ever reported the abuse. The girl also alleged that Father Adaslewicz had abused other children, too.
• Father Emil J. Beyer He was ordained in 1940 to the Diocese of Marquette. In 1997, a report sent to the diocese mentioned that a boy was sexually abused by Beyer at Holy Family Orphanage between 1944 and 1956, as per the Michigan A.G. 10/22 report. Though the clergyman denied all allegations, the accuser's brother also accused him of sexually abusing him. The allegations of the first accuser were found to be believable by the Diocesan Assessment Team and advised treatment for the priest at St. Luke Institute. He was temporarily restricted from exercising his faculties. Later, in 2001, the investigation by the diocese stated that Father Beyer's denials were confirmed, after which a lawsuit was filed in 2002. However, it was dismissed on the grounds of a statute of limitations. Father Beyer died on August 10, 2003.
• Father Josephy D. Carne He was ordained to the Diocese of Marquette in 1971. The Michigan A.G.'s report in October 2022 mentioned that Carne was alleged by various boys and male college students aged 8 to 17 years of sexual abuse 27 years earlier. There was also an allegation by a teenage girl about Carne forcibly trying to kiss her. As per the Diocese, his services were permanently terminated by the ministry in April 2002 after a health-related leave, following which, in July 2002, he resigned. Carne alleged that he was sexually abused as a child by Father Michael Hale, leaving him troubled for a long time. Carne passed away on May 13, 2019.
• Father Leonard Cornelius Father Cornelius was ordained in 1969 to the Diocese of Marquette. In the 1980s, Cornelius had allegedly sexually abused a 16-year-old boy when he was a chaplain at the Carmelite Monastery in Iron Mountain. The Michigan A.G.'s report of October 2022 mentions this. Consequently, Cornelius was eliminated from the order and recommended treatment. He was later assigned to work outside the Diocese of Marquette. In October 2022, he was a preacher at the Byzantine Catholic Church in Pittsburgh, PA.
• Father Richard T. Craig He was ordained to the Diocese of Marquette in 1988. The Diocese publicly announced him as an accused on its official December 13, 2019, list. The Michigan A.G. Report dated October 2022 states that a boy aged 12 years confided in his counselor that he was sleeping with Craig in 1991. Following this, the counselor met Craig at the behest of Bishop Schmitt with the damaging information. CPS intervened and Craig had to check into St. Luke's Institute for treatment. He later went to Rogers Memorial Hospital and St. Barnabas Center, WI. In September 1993, Craig had to resign once the review board of the Diocese found that he had touched the boy's penis during a camping trip, leading to his removal from the ministry permanently. At the behest of Bishop Garland, Bishop Doerfler approached Craig for laicization as there was validated evidence against him of sexually molesting a minor. As of October 2022, Craig is marked on leave of absence from the Diocese.
• Father Thomas P. Dunleavy According to the Michigan Attorney General's report in October 2022, a woman shared that Dunleavy sexually assaulted her in the early 1950s during 6th or 7th grade at St. Joseph's in Sault Ste. Marie. She reported it to a nun, but Dunleavy was only transferred when two other girls made similar allegations. In July 2002, another woman reported abuse by Dunleavy in the 1960s at St. Williams in Menominee when she was 11, but the priest she told in the 1980s advised her to forget about it. In October 2018 and May 2022, a woman reported further abuse by Dunleavy in the late 1960s in Menominee when she was in 8th grade. She said she reported it in the 1990s to church authorities in Peoria, IL.
• Father Gino S. Ferraro In the October 22 report by the Michigan Attorney General, father Gino S. Ferraro is implicated as the subject of allegations concerning child sexual abuse. In 2008, a woman reported to the diocese that Ferraro had sexually molested her from the ages of 8 to 17. According to her account, she initially disclosed the abuse to Rev. Raymond Hoefgan, who responded by stating, "Fr. Gino would never have done that." Another priest to whom she confided dismissed the possibility, asserting, "That couldn't have happened," and a third priest claimed that there was no supporting evidence in Ferraro's file. The case was brought before the diocesan Review Board in 2008, leading to an apology and counseling offered to the woman by the bishop. Notably, Ferraro passed away in 1976. Records from the Official Catholic Directory indicate that Ferraro commenced his priesthood in the Diocese of Rockford in 1930, subsequently serving in Milwaukee as a priest of the Pious Society of the Missionaries of St. Charles (p.s.s.c.b.) by 1934 or '35. He then appears to have joined the Marquette Diocese in 1938.
• Father  Wilbur M. Gibbs Monsignor Gibbs is mentioned in the October 22 report by the Michigan Attorney General, identified as the focal point of accusations related to child sexual abuse. It is alleged that he abused a Cuban refugee boy and additional children residing at Holy Family Home Orphanage during the late 1950s to early 1960s. Gibbs passed away in 1988.
• Fr. Basil Goerner People also know Father Basical Goerner as Steve, who was ordained at the age of 61 in 1993, having previously been married and raised a family. Mentioned in the Michigan Attorney General's report on October 22, he is the subject of allegations of sexual abuse. In 1994, the diocese received a report from a woman asserting that Goerner had sexually abused her in the early 1970s when she was 18 and that he also abused a 14-year-old girl during that period. Following this report, Goerner was sent to the Servants of the Paraclete in New Mexico for evaluation. In August 2002, he was removed from all public ministry in accordance with the U.S. Bishops' Charter. Goerner passed away in 2008.
• Father Michael F. Hale Highlighted in the Michigan A.G.'s October 22 report for the sexual abuse of minors, Father Michael F. Hale's file reveals an incident from 1955 where he was involved with a 15-year-old boy while hitchhiking in his car, citing his "old problem." In 1956, two teenage boys from a Hancock parish reported to a priest that Hale took them and others on boat rides, provided them with alcohol, and made repeated sexual advances toward one of them. Additionally, Hale allegedly supplied boys with alcohol in the rectory. Following these accusations, he was sent to the Servants of the Paraclete in New Mexico in 1956 and later reassigned to a Caspian parish. By 1968, he faced accusations of "sexual impropriety" with a boy at a Trenary church, yet he was then assigned as the pastor of a Hubbel parish. In 1972, a father informed Bishop Salatka that Hale had taken "liberties" with his son and should refrain from taking young boys to his camp. In 2004, a man reported being sexually abused by Hale during his teenage years. The same year, accused priest Joseph Carne disclosed that he, too, had been abused by Hale, resulting in "lifelong troubles." Another man came forward in 2007, alleging abuse as a boy by Hale. Despite these allegations, Hale, who passed away in 1975, appears to have remained in active ministry until his death.
• Father Gerald F. Harrington He was ordained to the Diocese of Marquette in 1929. As per Michigan A.G.'s report of 10/22, Harrington was accused of sexual abuse. He passed away in 1962.
• Father Donald Hartman Facing multiple allegations, Hartman's history is documented in the Michigan Attorney General's October 22 report. In February 2011, a man protested at St. Peter's Cathedral in Marquette, asserting that he was abused multiple times by Hartman in Champion around 1960, leading to Hartman's purported expulsion from the parish due to the abuse. In a 1991 lawsuit, Hartman was accused of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old altar boy at the Diocesan Retirement Home in Escanaba. Consequently, he was removed from public ministry in January 1992 and sent to St. Luke's Institute in Maryland. In 2002, a man informed the diocese that he had served as an altar boy in the late 1950s at a St. Ignace parish, describing Hartman as "pedophilic." In April 2004, another man reported that Hartman sexually abused him multiple times in 1953-54 when he was 14 or 15. The man recalled Hartman being arrested for abusing boys while assigned in the Champion, Republic, Michigamme area. In 2005, Hartman was accused of abusing an altar boy, aged 11 or 12, in St. Ignace during 1960-61, with the accuser asserting that other boys were also victims. Hartman was confronted by the parents, leading to his transfer. A 2010 claim emerged, alleging the abuse of a boy, aged 9 or 10, in 1963 in Champion. Following an incident witnessed by a woman, the police were informed, and Hartman was subsequently removed from the parish. Hartman passed away in 1999.
• Father Aloysius J. Hasenberg Having resigned from St. Agnes in Iron River and retiring in 1997 due to allegations of paying men for sex in the parish rectory, Hasenburg was subsequently assigned to Immaculate Conception in Watersmeet, where he was allowed limited ministry. He is featured in the Michigan Attorney General's October 22 report. In December 2002, a criminal investigation was initiated for the alleged rape of a cognitively impaired man on December 9, 2002. It was reported that Hasenburg had been paying the man for sex in the rectory for three years, along with other men. Although police found the allegations credible, no charges were filed. Hasenburg was then sent to St. Luke Institute in Maryland for treatment. In 2005, he faced accusations of abuse in 1948 or 1949 involving an altar boy at St. Anne's in Menominee. Another allegation emerged in September 2008, accusing Hasenburg of abusing an Iron River altar boy between the ages of 9 and 13 during 1987-1991 or 1992. Consequently, he was removed from ministry and the rectory in October 2008, with the diocese deeming the allegation credible. The case was forwarded to the Vatican, preventing Hasenburg from public ministry. He relocated to live with a friend in the Diocese of Superior and later moved to the Diocese of Green Bay. In 2009, reports indicated that he was seen wearing his Roman collar in public. Hasenburg passed away on January 24, 2016, at the age of 92.
• Father  Terrence M. Healy Ordained for the Diocese of Marquette, he established a foster home for boys in the mid-1970s. Taking a leave of absence in late 1977, there are indications that he might have sought treatment at the House of Affirmation. In 1982, he applied for incardination into the Lansing diocese, which was granted in 1985. However, he was removed in 1987. In December 1987, he pleaded no contest in Livingston County to charges of sexually abusing a 15-year-old boy and served 4 1/2 years in prison. Laicized in 1992, he faced an allegation in 1993 of abusing a 19-year-old male who had sought counseling from him two decades earlier. In 2012, two more men came forward, alleging abuse as boys in Lansing. Healy admitted to engaging in sexual acts with 18 boys, the youngest being 14. The Marquette diocese announced in September 2019 that it had received a report in 1996 of abuse by Healy from 1968 to 1972. In October 2019, there was an allegation that Healy abused many children who lived with him in the early 1970s while awaiting foster care. Additionally, four more men reported allegations of abuse by Healy as boys between 2018 and 2020. His name appeared on the Lansing diocese's list on September 27, 2019. He passed away on January 1, 2019, and is featured in the Michigan Attorney General's October 22 report.
• Father Mark McQuesten He was named as accused in a report by the Michigan A.G. in October 2022. In January 2018, a man reported to the diocese that McQuesten had touched him inappropriately in 1986 during a trip to Florida. Back then, McQuesten was a seminarian, and the man was a teenager. McQuesten said the accusation wasn't true, and the Diocesan Review Board decided the claims were not credible. As of October 2022, McQuesten was a retired priest still involved in active ministry.
• Father James L Menapace In September 2014, the church said that three people reported that Father James L Menapace had sexually molested and abused them when they were kids in the 1990s after he retired in 1996. He was put on restricted ministry in 2000 and permanently removed from his job in July 2002. The diocese put his name on a list on December 13, 2019, and the Michigan A.G.'s report in October 2022 also included him.  The report said that in January 1985, there was a complaint that Menapace tried to touch a nun's breast at a party and behaved wrongly with teenagers. In July 2000, he was accused of sexually abusing two boys, aged 13-14, in 1996 and 1997 at his cottage in Gulliver Lake. The boys were family and didn't want to tell the civil authorities. One of the boys committed suicide in 2010, leaving a note that mentioned abuse by the Catholic Church. In 2014, the sister of the boys said Menapace also abused their father and uncle in the 1950s and that she saw him abusing her brothers when they were 7 or 8. In 1994, there was an accusation that he abused his 13-year-old cousin when he was a seminarian. He went to a St. Luke Institute in August 2000 and could only perform limited church duties. In 2014, a relative said Menapace abused her son when he was 7-9 years old in the late 1990s. More reports in September 2014 said he abused boys in the mid-1960s and in 1983 or 1984. In October 2014, he was accused of sexually abusing an 8 or 9-year-old boy in 1969. In June 2015, there was a report that he behaved wrongly with a teenage boy at Superior State University, and the boy committed suicide at 31. In March 2016, a letter showed an accusation that he made an adult woman pregnant. Menapace passed away in February 2022.
• Father Robert J. Monroe Ordained in 1938 in the Diocese of Marquette, Father Robert J. Monroe is mentioned in the Michigan A.G.'s report from October 2022. In June 2002, a man told the diocese that when he was 5-7 years old, Monroe sexually molested him and other boys in the mid-1960s at St. Mary's in Sault Ste. Marie. Another report in 2005 came from a woman who said Monroe sexually abused her multiple times when she was 4, in 1968-69. Her mother supposedly caught him in the act and informed Bishop Salatka in early 1969. The woman learned in 6th grade that a friend had a similar experience with the priest. The Review Board confirmed these allegations. In 2018, a 48-year-old woman reported that Monroe had abused her when she was 10 at Nativity Parish in Sault Ste. Marie. Monroe passed away on September 16, 1980.
• Father Aaron Nowicki Ordained in 2016, Father Aaron Nowicki was arrested in August 2021 during a sting operation where he tried to meet someone he believed was a 14- or 15-year-old for sexual purposes in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. It was reported that Nowicki had previously been taken out of ministry in the Diocese of Marquette, MI, in 2019 due to allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct with a vulnerable adult. His case was included in the Michigan A.G.'s report from October 2022. In September 2023, Nowicki was convicted on the 2021 sting operation charges.
• Father Vincent L. Ouellette According to the Michigan A.G.'s report in October 2022, the diocese got a complaint in July 2004 from a relative of Father Vincent L. Ouellette. The allegation stated that he sexually abused the relative when he was 13 years old during a trip to Minnesota. Ouellette passed away in 1998.

Marquette Diocese Priest Sexual Abuse Lawsuits Are Not Class Action Lawsuits

Many adult survivors wonder if filing priest sexual abuse lawsuits in Michigan's Marquette Diocese will result in meaningful compensation for their family. Marquette Diocese priest sex abuse lawsuits will not be class action lawsuits in which those who file a claim can expect only a small, symbolic settlement. On the contrary, lawyers handling Marquette Diocese priest sexual abuse lawsuits believe persons and family members of persons who suffered sexual abuse by a priest or parish youth leader may be entitled to significant compensation.

Marquette Diocese Priest Sexual Abuse Lawsuits: No Fees Unless We Collect for You

We will represent all persons involved in Marquette Diocese priest sexual abuse lawsuits on a contingency basis, meaning our lawyers never charge legal fees unless we win compensation in your case. For a free no-obligation consultation please fill out our short online contact form and one of our attorneys handling priest sexual abuse lawsuits in Michigan's Marquette Diocese will contact you to answer any of your questions in a free and confidential consultation.

No-Cost, No-Obligation Marquette Diocese Priest Sex Abuse Lawsuit Case Review If You or a Loved One Suffered from Child Sexual Abuse

OnderLaw, LLC is a St. Louis personal injury law firm handling serious injury and death claims across the country. Its mission is the pursuit of justice, no matter how complex the case or strenuous the effort. The Onder Law Firm has represented clients throughout the United States in pharmaceutical and medical device litigation such as Pradaxa, Lexapro and Yasmin/Yaz, where the firm's attorneys held significant leadership roles in the litigation, as well as Actos, DePuy, Risperdal and others, and other law firms throughout the nation often seek its experience and expertise on complex litigation. For more information, visit www.OnderLaw.com or call 1-877-ONDER-LAW.

Marquette Diocese Priest Sex Abuse Lawsuit FAQs

Attorneys Answer Common Marquette Diocese Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Questions

This page contains common Marquette Diocese priest sex abuse lawsuit questions and answers that apply to most claims. To discuss the particulars of your case in a confidential setting, contact our firm directly.

Our team of attorneys handling priest sexual abuse lawsuit claims for Michigan's Marquette Diocese provides free, no obligation case review. Once we hear from you, one of our experienced lawyers will contact you promptly to provide answers to your questions about filing a Marquette Diocese priest sex abuse lawsuit. Consultations are confidential, without obligation, and completely free of charge.

Who can file a priest sexual abuse lawsuit in Michigan's Marquette Diocese?

Any person or family member of a person who experienced priest sexual abuse in the Marquette Diocese of Michigan may be eligible to file a claim against the Marquette Diocese, the Michigan Catholic Church, or other responsible institution for its failure to protect youth in its care.

How much time do I have to file a Marquette Diocese priest sex abuse lawsuit in Michigan?

At this time, new legislation permits many adult survivors of priest sexual abuse in the Marquette Diocese to bring claims forward against priests, Catholic school teachers, camp leaders or other individuals serving the Catholic Church. No matter your age or how long ago the incident took place, you may qualify to file a Marquette Diocese priest sexual abuse lawsuit. For specific time limits for your claim, please fill out the form at right and one of our attorneys will contact you as quickly as possible, usually within the hour.

Does it cost anything for you to review my case?

We will always listen to your circumstances and give you our analysis of your case without any cost or further obligation.

What does it cost to file a priest sexual abuse lawsuit in Michigan's Marquette Diocese?

We are committed to representing all persons involved in a Marquette Diocese priest sex abuse lawsuit on a contingency basis, meaning there are never any legal fees unless we win compensation in your case. To access your free, no-obligation consultation, use the online chat feature or contact form on this site. One of our lawyers handling Marquette Diocese priest sexual abuse lawsuit claims will contact you to answer any of your questions.

Even if the abuse occurred long ago, many survivors of Marquette Diocese priest sexual abuse may now qualify to file for damages. Contact our attorneys to learn about your legal options.

Aren't these just class action lawsuits where the plaintiff receives very little money?

No. Our firm has reason to believe plaintiffs in Marquette Diocese priest sex abuse lawsuits may be entitled to significant compensation, though the exact figure depends on individual circumstances of each case. The Catholic Church in California allocated $1.2 billion for priest sexual abuse settlements in 2002. In 2007, one priest sexual abuse lawsuit against the Los Angeles Archdiocese resulted in awards of $1.3 million for each survivor.

We're not the type of people who sue; do we really need to file a lawsuit?

If you or a member of your family was sexually abused as a child or teen by a priest, youth leader, or Catholic school teacher in Michigan's Marquette Diocese, you have likely been dealing with the aftermath of this trauma in one way or another ever since. It is difficult to put a number on the cost of the suffering to a person's emotional health and development, yet we know the harm is considerable. No amount of money can undo the wrong, but we believe winning a priest sexual abuse lawsuit and the compensation that comes with it can help in the healing process in a variety of ways. It is our fervent hope that every Marquette Diocese priest sexual abuse lawsuit we file can serve to make the responsible persons and institutions take note of the trauma and pain that has resulted. When that fails to make a diocese or parish take action to protect the safety of children, we rely on financial pressure to push for meaningful change. In all too many Catholic dioceses, the fear of lawsuits and large settlements is what ultimately pushes the church to make changes to protect the children in its care.

Marquette Diocese Priest Sex Abuse Lawyers

Leading Attorneys for Clergy Sex Abuse Claims in Michigan's Marquette Diocese

The Marquette Diocese priest sexual abuse lawyers at The Onder Law Firm have a long track record of success in achieving justice on behalf of American families against large and powerful entities such as the Catholic church. As leading national personal injury attorneys, our clergy sexual abuse lawyers serving the Marquette Diocese have worked with countless families through the most difficult time in their lives. Our primary goal is to assist and support survivors as they take this brave step–bringing our considerable resources and expertise to fight on your behalf.

Even if the abuse occurred decades ago, you may be eligible for compensation under Michigan's new law. Contact our Marquette Diocese priest sex abuse attorneys for a free consultation.

If you are a survivor of priest sexual abuse in the Marquette Diocese of Michigan, we want you to know first and foremost that what happened to you was not your fault. It is our mission to seek justice on behalf of you and others like you, and to help you access the compensation you need and deserve. Our Marquette Diocese priest sex abuse attorneys believe persons and family members of persons who were sexually abused by clergy members may be eligible for real compensation for the resulting pain and suffering by filing a claim against the Marquette Diocese.

The State of Michigan has newly expanded rights for survivors of child sexual abuse to report incidents later in life. On average, survivors of child sexual abuse do not report the harm until the age of 52, often long after the statue of limitations has expired. The new laws for filing Michigan priest sex abuse lawsuits expand survivors' rights to report decades later. For too long, reporting priest sexual abuse has been connected with intense shame and stigma, and the Catholic Church has a long history of coverup, relocating priests to avoid scandal only to result in more abuse. That era is over, and many adult survivors are stepping up to file priest sex abuse lawsuits in Michigan's Marquette Diocese and others. Over 800 survivors made complaints to the Attorney General, and more than 450 priests have been accused of priest sexual abuse in Michigan's seven dioceses, including the Marquette Diocese.

Our attorneys handling priest sex abuse lawsuits for Michigan's Marquette Diocese are committed to holding the Catholic Church accountable for failing to protect the children in its care over decades--no matter how complex the case.

We believe that survivors must be in charge of decision-making when it comes to whether or not to file a Marquette Diocese priest sexual abuse lawsuit. Some survivors say it is cathartic to finally report harmful incidents in their past and seek justice through legal action. When large numbers of survivors speak out and demand accountability from Michigan's Marquette Diocese, it sends a strong message that this type of abuse will not be tolerated in the Marquette Diocese ever again.

If you would like to learn more about filing a claim with our priest sexual abuse attorney team serving the Marquette Diocese of Michigan, contact our firm for a free consultation. The Onder Law Firm's priest sexual abuse attorneys for Marquette Diocese claims provide experienced legal representation without fee unless they collect for their clients.

No Fees Unless We Collect for You - Our Marquette Diocese Clergy Sex Abuse Lawyers Represent Clients on a Contingency Basis

We will represent all persons involved in a Marquette Diocese priest sexual abuse lawsuit on a contingency basis, meaning there are never any legal fees unless we win compensation in your case. Anyone who suffered from priest sexual abuse--or is a family member of such a person--is eligible to receive a free, no-obligation case review from our attorneys. Simply contact our firm through the online contact form or the chat feature and one of our Michigan Catholic clergy lawyers serving the Marquette Diocese will contact you promptly to discuss your case.

The Onder Law Firm

OnderLaw, LLC is a St. Louis personal injury law firm handling serious injury and death claims across the country. Its mission is the pursuit of justice, no matter how complex the case or strenuous the effort. The Onder Law Firm has represented clients throughout the United States in pharmaceutical and medical device litigation such as Pradaxa, Lexapro and Yasmin/Yaz, where the firm's attorneys held significant leadership roles in the litigation, as well as Actos, DePuy, Risperdal and others, and other law firms throughout the nation often seek its experience and expertise on complex litigation. For more information, visit www.OnderLaw.com or call 1-877-ONDER-LAW.