Kentucky appeals judge seals records in church sex-abuse case
By The Associated Press
07.26.02
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FRANKFORT, Ky. — A Kentucky Court of Appeals judge has ordered all the records in a sex-abuse lawsuit against two Roman Catholic dioceses to remain sealed until a three-judge panel of the court can rule.
The July 24 order by appeals Judge Julia Tackett amounted to a pre-emptive ruling of Fayette County Circuit Judge Mary Noble, who was hearing the case. Noble had indicated she would rule on July 24 whether the records should be made public, but Tackett's order rendered that moot.
In her order, Tackett said Noble had said she would unseal the records, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.
Tackett also ordered parties in the lawsuit to have their cases in the hands of the appeals court by Aug. 2 in anticipation of an Aug. 5 hearing.
Lexington lawyer Robert Treadway filed a lawsuit against the dioceses in May on behalf of unnamed plaintiffs who say that as minors they were sexually abused by priests in the Lexington and Covington dioceses.
The Lexington diocese asked the circuit court to keep all records in the lawsuit sealed and hidden from public view.
The Herald-Leader asked Noble to unseal the records. The newspaper is challenging a state law that says court records will be sealed in a civil case that is filed five years or more after alleged sexual abuse occurred.
Update
State appeals court: Church-abuse lawsuit should be made public
Three-judge panel says Kentucky diocese didn't show there was a compelling public interest to keep some material in case secret.
08.12.02
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