Maryland Clergy Sex Abuse Lawyer
In April 2023, the Maryland Attorney General’s Office released an extensive report on the prevalence and impact of sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The report was the culmination of a four-year investigation into allegations of clergy sexual abuse by Catholic Church leadership and documented a long history of widespread abuse and systemic cover-up.
According to the Attorney General’s report, young people in some parishes were preyed upon by multiple abusers over decades, and clergy members used their power to exploit the trust of these children and their families. Time and time again, the Archdiocese chose to protect the church’s reputation over the well-being of the children in its care. However, survivors of clergy sexual abuse have legal rights and options for pursuing justice, even if the abuse occurred years or decades ago.
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Author: Kathryn Kosmides
- A years-long investigation of the Archdiocese of Baltimore by the Maryland Attorney General uncovered more than 60 years of widespread sexual abuse by clergy members and a systemic cover-up by leadership.
- Survivors of childhood sexual abuse by clergy members or Archdiocese employees in Maryland have no time limit for filing civil lawsuits to recover compensation for their suffering.
- If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse by clergy members in Maryland, Helping Survivors can help.
History of Maryland Clergy Sex Abuse
Under Maryland law, sexual abuse means any act that involves sexual molestation or exploitation of a minor, whether or not physical injuries result. Clergy sex abuse occurs when a religious official with some authority over the victim perpetrates such abuse. The Maryland Attorney General’s report also found evidence that church leaders repeatedly concealed and buried abuse by clergy officials by moving priests to other parishes and failing to properly investigate or report abuse.
The investigation revealed that 156 priests, deacons, Catholic teachers, and seminarians working in the Archdiocese of Baltimore have been credibly accused of sexually abusing over 600 total victims. Additionally, a 2018 Pennsylvania grand jury report named dozens more Maryland priests who have been accused of abuse. Meanwhile, several clergy members, including William Mannion and Rev. Urbano Vazquez, have recently been charged with child sexual abuse from crimes that took place as recently as 2017.
The Archdiocese’s Bankruptcy
In 2023, just days before Maryland’s Child Victims Act went into effect, eliminating the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse claims, the Archdiocese of Baltimore filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Advocates for survivors say the church was attempting to protect its assets and silence abuse victims by halting civil claims and shifting the process to bankruptcy court. The Chapter 11 process still allows survivors to file and settle claims, but the payouts for each survivor will likely be far smaller than in a typical civil lawsuit.
In bankruptcy court, a judge will likely order the Archdiocese to establish a trust fund to pay claimants. Therefore, survivors may not receive money based on the damages they specifically incurred, but based on a percentage or portion of the trust. Most Diocesan Chapter 11 reorganizations take about three years, so the trust may not be established until late 2026.
Rights and Options For Survivors of Maryland Clergy Abuse
Survivors of sexual abuse have the right to seek justice for the harm they endured. In Maryland, there are multiple paths they can pursue. Reporting abuse to law enforcement can trigger an investigation that leads to criminal charges against the perpetrators. However, prosecutors ultimately decide whether to press charges based on factors such as the strength of the available evidence. However, survivors have another option over which they have more direct control—filing a civil sexual abuse lawsuit against the individual perpetrator and the parties that enabled the abuse, including the Archdiocese.
Maryland’s Child Victims Act, which went into effect in October 2023, eliminated the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse cases. The Maryland Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the law in early 2025. Therefore, survivors can file a civil lawsuit for child sexual abuse regardless of how long ago it occurred. Since the passage of the Child Victims Act, hundreds of alleged victims have sued the Archdiocese of Baltimore for abuse spanning nearly 80 years. While the bankruptcy pauses civil lawsuits against the Archdiocese, survivors may still be eligible to file claims in bankruptcy court.
Filing a Lawsuit for Clergy Sexual Abuse in Maryland
There are several steps to filing a civil action for child sexual abuse in Maryland. The first step is to consult an attorney to determine whether you have enough evidence for a successful case. An attorney will investigate and gather evidence, such as medical records, witness statements, church records, physical evidence like photos, letters, and recordings, and documentation of the abuse’s impact, such as therapy records. It may also benefit your case to file a police report regarding the abuse.
It is important to note that in April 2025, the Maryland General Assembly enacted revisions to the Child Victims Act that significantly reduced the amount of money survivors can recover in court for child sexual abuse claims. Legislators enacted the amendments in response to concerns that the enhanced rights afforded survivors had potentially exposed the state and private institutions to billions of dollars in liability stemming from sex abuse lawsuits.
The revisions have lowered the maximum compensation from public institutions from $890,000 to $400,000. Meanwhile, the law now caps the maximum compensation from private institutions like churches at $700,000 from $1.5 million. However, these new caps only apply to claims filed on or after June 1, 2025. Survivors who have filed claims before that date can still pursue the former maximums.
Report Clergy Sexual Abuse in Maryland
Survivors have several avenues for reporting clergy sexual abuse in Maryland. You can contact the local police department or sheriff’s office in your area to file a report, or you can contact the Maryland Office of the Attorney General directly by calling 410-576-6312 or emailing report@oag.state.md.us. Additionally, Maryland’s Department of Human Services has local offices across the state, and the department investigates allegations of child abuse and neglect.
Maryland also has a statewide abuse reporting hotline at 1-800-91-PREVENT, which is available 24/7 for reporting suspected abuse or neglect. The hotline does accept anonymous reports.
How Can a Maryland Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawyer Help?
At Helping Survivor, our mission is to help heal, educate, and empower those impacted by sexual assault and abuse. We inform survivors of their reporting rights and options, provide educational resources, and connect them with experienced sexual abuse lawyers who can file civil lawsuits against the individuals and institutions that enabled their abuse.
Every survivor’s experience is unique, and what you choose to do after experiencing harm is ultimately your choice; there is no right or wrong answer. However, if you decide to pursue justice and compensation via a civil lawsuit, Helping Survivors can support you and connect you with legal counsel. Get legal help today.
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