Brother Richard Lott
Ordained: 1963
Removed: Unknown
Assigned as follows:
- 1964-1966: Delbarton Boarding & Day School (Morristown, NJ)
- 1967-1986: St. Mary's Abbey (Morristown, PA)
- 1987-2019: Unknown
Summary of Abuse Allegations against Brother Richard Lott:
According to media reports, in 2005, Br. Richard Lott, a Benedictine brother, was accused in a 2005 civil lawsuit of sexually abusing a student at Delbarton School in 1977, and of giving the boy alcohol and marijuana. The Order said it learned of accusations against Lott in 2004 and reported it to the police. The case was settled in 2006.
In March 2017, another former Delbarton student filed a lawsuit alleging sexual abuse by Lott in January 1976. The man said he told Abbot Brian Clark of his abuse over a year after it occurred, and that Abbot Clark told him to keep it quiet; that Brother Lott would be "reined in." Years later the man learned that a second student was abused by the monk not long after he spoke with the Abbot.
"I wanted to make sure they knew what happened so no one else would ever be abused. They lied to me," the man said.
At least 13 other cases have been filed against the Benedictine order by 15 people who also allege they were abused by monks as children decades earlier when they attended Delbarton or a Catholic school in Linden run by the order.
"The plaintiff is a former Delbarton student who, like my other clients, is seeking both damages and accountability from an institution whom we contend was responsible for unspeakable acts against them," the man's lawyer said in a statement. "With regard to the previously filed cases, we are continuing to litigate them."
No criminal charges were filed in these cases due to the statute of limitations.
In 2020, the Delbarton School was among the entities that challenged a New Jersey law that allowed lawsuits to be filed by victims of sexual abuse no matter how long ago the abuse occurred. The New Jersey Supreme Court upheld the law, allowing a lawsuit against the Benedictine Order, which named Lott as the abuser, to proceed.
After the lawsuit was filed, the case ultimately became one of the first major New Jersey clergy abuse cases to reach a full jury verdict under the state’s 2019 revival law, which reopened the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse survivors. The plaintiff, identified publicly only as “T.M.,” alleged that he was sexually assaulted by Benedictine monk and priest Brother Richard Lott on New Year’s Eve 1975–1976 while a student at Delbarton School. According to trial testimony, Lott allegedly supplied the minor student with alcohol before assaulting him on campus.
The trial lasted approximately seven weeks in Morris County, New Jersey. In October 2025, the jury returned a unanimous verdict awarding the survivor $5 million in compensatory damages. Jurors found Richard Lott personally liable and also found the Order of St. Benedict of New Jersey liable for its role in the abuse. Reports indicated the jury apportioned approximately 35% liability to Lott and 65% to the Benedictine order.
The verdict was viewed as historically significant because it was reportedly the first Catholic clergy sexual abuse case in New Jersey to proceed all the way through trial to a jury verdict under the state’s modern look-back legislation. The case also drew broader attention because dozens of additional abuse lawsuits involving Delbarton School and St. Mary’s Abbey remain pending.
Following the verdict, separate proceedings were held regarding punitive damages. Ultimately, the jury declined to award punitive damages against Delbarton School or the Benedictine defendants.
After the verdict, Delbarton School sought a new trial, arguing the verdict should be overturned or reduced. However, in late 2025, the court denied Delbarton’s request for a retrial, allowing the $5 million verdict to stand.
The Richard Lott litigation also renewed scrutiny of Delbarton School’s historical handling of clergy abuse allegations. Public reporting surrounding the verdict noted that nearly 40 abuse lawsuits involving Delbarton clergy had been filed, including allegations against multiple monks and former school leadership.
May 2026 Update: New Allegations of Withheld Evidence in Delbarton Abuse Case
New developments have emerged in the litigation involving former Delbarton School priest Richard E. Lott following the recent $5 million jury verdict entered in favor of survivor T.M. in New Jersey. According to a newly filed sanctions motion, attorneys for the plaintiff allege that the Order of St. Benedict of New Jersey — which operates Delbarton School and St. Mary’s Abbey — withheld critical investigative reports during nearly a decade of litigation.
The allegations surfaced in an opinion piece published May 13, 2026 by Mark Crawford of SNAP New Jersey, discussing a motion for sanctions filed on April 22, 2026 in the case T.M. v. Order of St. Benedict of New Jersey, Inc. The motion reportedly claims that the Benedictine order failed to produce numerous investigative reports prepared by private investigator Nicholas Susalis concerning prior allegations of sexual abuse against Father Richard Lott.
According to the article, the plaintiff alleges these reports were never produced despite discovery requests dating back to 2017 and despite a 2021 court order specifically requiring production of materials related to allegations against Lott. The article further states that even after a special discovery adjudicator directly requested additional reports, counsel for the order allegedly represented that no further investigative reports existed.
The motion reportedly also references sworn testimony from the institution’s corporate representative stating that there were five allegations against Lott from five separate victims. However, the newly surfaced reports allegedly suggest the number of prior allegations may have been higher.
A hearing on the sanctions motion is reportedly scheduled before Judge Louis S. Sceusi on May 22, 2026. The court will ultimately determine whether discovery violations occurred and whether sanctions are warranted.
The sanctions sought by the plaintiff are significant. According to the article, they include requests to strike defenses, establish certain facts as admitted, reopen punitive damages proceedings, award attorney’s fees, and enter contempt findings against the institution.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy at the Delbarton School. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a member of the clergy contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in New Jersey have legal options to recover damages. Call us at 888-283-9922 or send an email to adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com to discuss your options today.