On Thursday, a federal bankruptcy court judge ordered that all sexual abuse claims against the Diocese of Burlington in Vermont must be filed with the bankruptcy court no later than April 4, 2025. The deadline, often referred to as a "bar date," is the last day that any survivor of sexual abuse by a priest or employee of the Burlington Diocese can seek accountability for what happened to them, even though Vermont law typically provides an otherwise unlimited time to do so. This bar date includes claims on behalf of anyone sexually abused as an adult and the estates of deceased victims.
The Catholic Diocese of Burlington filed for federal bankruptcy protection in September 2024 citing the number of lawsuits filed against it on behalf of children sexually abused by priests in the Diocese. Horowitz Law attorney Jessica Arbour filed several of those lawsuits. Our firm will continue to evaluate additional claims against the Diocese through the April 4, 2025, deadline.
Through our own investigation at Horowitz Law, we have identified at least 49 clergy who have been publicly accused of sexually abusing children in Vermont's only Catholic Diocese, a staggering number given the Catholic population of the area.
The April 4, 2025, date is referred to as a "bar date" by the Bankruptcy Court because the Diocese will be forever immune from suit in any sexual abuse claim not filed by that date. Abuse survivors will never again have any chance for accountability after April 4, so it is critically important that you contact a lawyer today if you were harmed by a priest, employee or volunteer in the Diocese of Burlington, including laypeople and teachers. All filed claims are kept confidential by strict order of the Bankruptcy Court.
Our attorneys have decades of experience representing victims of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in Vermont and nationwide. Contact us confidentially now.
Very strict filing deadlines have now been set by the Bankruptcy Court. Most survivors of sexual abuse will never be able to recover damages if they miss this deadline, so please contact us to discuss your case today. Call us at 888-283-9922 or send an e-mail to [email protected] .
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims of sexual abuse in the Diocese of Burlington. Our lawyers are now offering free legal consultations to discuss your legal options as a survivor of sexual abuse in the Burlington Diocese. Contact us today.