BOSTON -- The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston has asked a judge to dismiss the more than 400 sexual abuse lawsuits against it on religious freedom grounds, according to The New York Times.
The archdiocese claims the First Amendment does not permit courts to tell churches how to conduct their internal affairs, including where to assign priests and how to discipline them.
The move was driven by the archdiocese's insurers, said Bishop Richard G. Lennon, the archdiocese's interim leader. Lennon said he is still committed to settling with the victims.
Legal experts said the First Amendment approach has little chance of success, but the archdiocese might have jeopardized its insurance coverage had it failed to pursue any available arguments, according to The Times.
Jeffrey A. Newman, a lawyer for some of the plaintiffs, said he accepted the archdiocese's reasoning.
"The concern existed on the part of the archdiocese that filing the motion would inflame an almost dangerously incendiary atmosphere by suggesting it was not serious in trying to resolve these claims," Newman said.
