Today is huge victory for survivors of abuse by clergy in Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases. The Catholic dioceses and bishops have been hiding and using the Sackler technique to avoid accountability. The Supreme Court rejects it. This means that if a diocese files for bankruptcy reorganization, they have to include all of their assets and disclose all of their affiliates’ assets under which the bishop controls.

This decision now gives survivors a chance to go after and seek redress against all the entities that participated in causing the harm of survivors of sexual abuse. The Catholic bishops have stopped survivors’ efforts by asking the courts to stop their efforts for accountability – this puts an end to the Texas two-step. Survivors can now get relief from the stays imposed in the bankruptcy courts and to seek justice in the state courts – in Buffalo, Rockville Centre, Ogdensburg, Albany, San Francisco, San Diego, Santa Rosa, Oakland and all of the Catholic dioceses that have filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.