In a unanimous ruling, the South Carolina supreme court has overturned a decision that shielded the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston from liability in a decades-old sexual abuse case. The controversial decision by a former circuit court judge had been upheld by the state’s court of appeals, but the supreme court’s reversal could potentially open the floodgates for more sexual abuse lawsuits against the church. The ruling focused on the state’s interpretation of charitable immunity, a doctrine dating back to British law in the nineteenth century that exempts non-profits from certain claims.
The case involved an unnamed petitioner, John Doe, who alleged he was sexually abused between 1969-1971 by teachers at a Catholic school. The circuit court judge had ruled in favor of the diocese citing charitable immunity, but the supreme court disagreed and sent the case back for trial. This ruling, along with past cases that have limited charitable immunity, signals that accountability is coming for the church over abuse allegations.
This ruling has implications for future legal claims against the diocese and sets a precedent for holding organizations accountable for intentional torts. The decision has been praised for challenging the outdated and discredited doctrine of charitable immunity. Moving forward, media outlets will continue to follow the developments in the case as it proceeds to trial.
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