$1.25M St. Stephen’s Cemetery class action settlement

St. Stephen’s Cemetery agreed to pay $1.25 million to resolve claims it buried bodies in the wrong plots and lost burial records.

The St. Stephen’s Cemetery settlement benefits individuals who purchased or who are the next of kin or surviving spouse of a person who purchased a burial plot or services from St. Stephen’s Cemetery between Jan. 1, 1992, and Feb. 24, 2017.

Plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit accused St. Stephen’s Cemetery of gross negligence, alleging that when the cemetery failed to properly bury their loved ones, it violated Kentucky cemetery laws.

St. Stephen’s Cemetery is a Catholic cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky.

St. Stephen’s Cemetery hasn’t admitted any wrongdoing but agreed to a $1.25 million class action settlement to resolve these allegations. Other cemeteries have agreed to similar settlements, including a $35 million grave desecration settlement with a Jewish cemetery in California.

Under the terms of the St. Stephen’s Cemetery settlement, class members can receive a cash payment based on the number of plots purchased and the number of relatives buried at the cemetery during the class period. No payment estimates are available at this time.

The deadline for exclusion and objection is Feb. 7, 2025.

The final approval hearing for the Kentucky cemetery settlement is scheduled for March 24, 2025.

To receive settlement benefits, class members must submit a valid claim form by the claim deadline, which will be determined at the final approval hearing on March 24, 2025.

Who’s Eligible

Consumers who purchased or whose next of kin or surviving spouse is a person who purchased a burial plot or services from St. Stephen’s Cemetery between Jan. 1, 1992, and Feb. 24, 2017

Potential Award

Varies

Proof of Purchase

Burial plot deed, funeral home receipt, etc.

Claim Form

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Claim Form Deadline

03/24/2025

Case Name

Seaton, et al. v. St. Stephen’s Cemetery Association, et al., Case No. 17-CI-1663, in the Jefferson Circuit Court Division One in Louisville, Kentucky

Final Hearing

03/24/2025

Settlement Website

KYCemeterySettlement.com

Claims Administrator

Seaton v. St. Stephen’s Cemetery Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 301132
Los Angeles, CA 90030-1132
[email protected]
877-606-7519

Class Counsel

Alex Davis
William H Mapes
ALEX DAVIS LAW OFFICE PSC

Jasper D Ward IV
JONES WARD PLC

Mark K Gray
Matthew L White
GRAY & WHITE PLC

Stephen A Brooks
STEPHEN BROOKS PSC

Defense Counsel

Maurice A Byrne Jr
LAW OFFICES OF MAURICE A BYRNE JR

David A Shearer Jr
Christopher T Brann
GARVEY SHEARER NORDSTROM PSC

Zachary C Hoskins
LANDRUM & SHOUSE LLP