Survivors of Clergy Abuse Still Have Full Amount of Time Provided by the Child Victims Act to File Claims
(Long Island, NY) – During a hearing held today, Judge Shelley Chapman of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Southern District of New York ruled from the bench that the claims bar date for survivors in the Diocese of Rockville Centre Chapter 11 bankruptcy be set to coincide with the close of the New York Child Victims Act (CVA) window on August 13, 2021.
“We are thrilled with Judge Chapman’s decision,” said attorney Trusha Goffe of Jeff Anderson & Associates. “Survivors deserve as much time as possible to share their truth and hold the Diocese accountable for the harm done to them as children. Despite Bishop Barres and Diocesan officials’ best efforts to limit these opportunities, the day is won for survivors in the Diocese of Rockville Centre.”
On October 1, 2020, the Diocese of Rockville Centre filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, following the cynical playbook of its fellow Roman Catholic Dioceses of New York: the Diocese of Rochester (09.12.19), Diocese of Buffalo (02.28.20), and the Diocese of Syracuse (06.19.20).
“There is still great urgency for survivors to break the silence and make the call. It’s time for reckoning,” said attorney Jeff Anderson. Anderson’s firm represents hundreds of survivors of child sexual abuse by clergy in New York and have filed more than 70 clergy sexual abuse cases against the Diocese of Rockville Centre since the New York Child Victims Act took effect in August of 2019.
Despite the deadline, we recommend that survivors reach out to file a claim as soon as possible.