How This Litigation Is Structured
There is no single Catholic Church abuse lawsuit, no MDL, and no class action. Claims are brought diocese by diocese. Many dioceses filed for bankruptcy amid a large number of lawsuits after states relaxed their statutes of limitations for childhood sexual abuse. California lifted its limit in 2019. In a diocesan bankruptcy, survivor claims are handled together inside the bankruptcy case instead of as separate lawsuits.[1]
Timeline of Major Settlements and Bankruptcies
2007
The Diocese of San Diego agreed to pay $198 million to settle more than 140 claims of clergy sexual abuse.[1]
2020
The Archdiocese of New Orleans filed for bankruptcy, facing more than 500 abuse claims.[1]
2024
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles agreed to pay $880 million to more than 1,000 survivors of clergy sexual abuse dating back decades. The archdiocese had previously paid more than $740 million, making the total more than $1.5 billion. It is the largest settlement by any U.S. diocese or archdiocese.[1]
The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego filed for bankruptcy in 2024 in response to roughly 400 lawsuits alleging priests and others sexually abused children decades earlier. This followed the 2007 settlement described above.[1]
On December 4, 2024, a federal bankruptcy court confirmed the plan resolving the Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York bankruptcy, with a settlement of $323 million for about 600 survivors, ending a process that lasted more than four years. It is the largest payout by a diocese in bankruptcy.[2]
2025
Abuse survivors agreed to a $246 million settlement from the Diocese of Rochester, New York, in its bankruptcy case.[3]
On December 8, 2025, a federal judge approved a settlement under which the Archdiocese of New Orleans will pay at least $230 million to hundreds of survivors of clergy sexual abuse. The settlement followed years of negotiations and includes policies intended to prevent future abuse.[1]
2026
On February 18, 2026, the Diocese of Camden, New Jersey agreed to pay $180 million in a clergy sexual abuse settlement, which must still be approved by a bankruptcy court. The diocese had fought a state grand jury investigation for years before relenting.[4]
Where Things Stand Today
Catholic Church clergy abuse claims continue to proceed diocese by diocese across the country. There is no coordinated national litigation, no MDL, and no class action. Claims are handled in federal bankruptcy courts and state courts, depending on the diocese, with different judges presiding over each case.[1]
Multiple dioceses have reached settlements in recent years, with amounts ranging from the $180 million Camden agreement to the $880 million Los Angeles settlement. Some settlements have been approved by courts; others await approval.[1][2][3][4]
The record we track does not show a verified national count of pending claims or a comprehensive list of all dioceses facing litigation or bankruptcy.
What Is Not Known Yet
The current status of the Diocese of San Diego bankruptcy, which was filed in 2024, has been reported but is not confirmed from court records we have verified.[4]
Whether the bankruptcy court has approved the Camden settlement has been reported but is not verified from court records.[4]
The record we track does not show trial dates set in any of these matters.
Support
RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline, which is free and confidential, at 800-656-4673.[5]
For information about how claims work and deadlines, see our page on how claims work and deadlines.
Sources
- Diocesan bankruptcies (2019-01-01). Secondary report: ncronline.org
- Diocese of Rockville Centre bankruptcy (2024-12-04). Secondary report: bishop-accountability.org
- Diocese of Rochester (2025-09-01). Secondary report: bishop-accountability.org
- Diocese of Camden (2026-02-18). Secondary report: mynorthwest.com
- RAINN (2026-09-01). Primary document: rainn.org
Litigation facts on this page come from the TortIntel litigation record and the documents linked above. Last checked against that record on 2026-09-20. If you see an error, tell us and we will correct it.