A Pennsylvania woman who filed a Catholic sex abuse lawsuit is attempting to have the Pennsylvania statute of limitations redefined as it pertains to her lawsuit.

The plaintiff, Renee Rice, sued the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown back in 2016, alleging that she suffered from child sexual abuse committed by a priest at St. Leo’s Catholic Church in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

Now 52, Rice alleges that she was sexually abused between age 9 and 14 by Father Charles F. Bodziak, when she performed a number of duties around the church, including playing the organ. Bodziak has denied these allegations.

Rice did not come forward with her lawsuit until after the major statewide grand jury that uncovered accusations against more than three hundred priests regarding more than 1,000 victimized children.

Several dioceses, including the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, were accused in the grand jury report of actively covering up child sexual abuse cases dating back decades.

Initially, Rice’s lawsuit was dismissed by now Senior Judge Jolene G. Kopriva of Blair County, citing the two-year Pennsylvania statute of limitations on child sexual abuse cases. This statute of limitations means that Rice would have had to file her lawsuit by the time she turned 20 years old, back in 1980.

Rice’s attorney appealed the ruling, which was made at the local level, by going to the state Superior Court, arguing that by knowingly covering up cases of child sexual abuse, the church had committed civil fraud. The lawsuit alleges that the Altoona-Johnstown diocese knew about the priest Rice accused of sexual abuse because of separate complaints against him filed in 1993 and in 2003, respectively.

But, the lawsuit claims, the diocese kept “secret archives,” into which these complaints were filed and stayed for years, and Rice didn’t know about the alleged cover-up until the grand jury report in 2016. Rice’s attorney argued that the statute of limitations should not have started until 2016, which is when Rice first learned of the extent of the diocese’s child sexual abuse cover-up.

As a result of this appeal, the Pennsylvania Superior Court vacated the first judge’s ruling, and ordered that the case be returned to the local level for further action.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court was asked by the diocese to review the lawsuit, and arguments are scheduled for October via videoconference.

The attorney for the diocese argued that the Superior Court’s decision to vacate the initial Blair County judge’s ruling for dismissal represents a “major shift in Pennsylvania law,” effectively repealing the Pennsylvania statute of limitations on child sex abuse cases altogether.

Filing a Catholic Child Sexual Abuse Lawsuit

A growing number of survivors of child sexual abuse are coming forward with allegations against their abusers and the organizations that allowed such abuse to take place, including the Catholic church.

If you or someone you love have suffered from child sexual abuse at the hands of a clergy member, even if that abuse happened years or even decades ago, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. Of course, filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by childhood sexual abuse, but it can at least provide some kind of compensation, as well as help to hold those responsible for this suffering accountable for their actions and inactions.

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, especially over something as traumatic as child abuse, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.