Word: settlement
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...setback for victims came on Friday when the Boston Archdiocese rejected a $20 million to $30 million settlement it had reached in March with victims of defrocked priest John Geoghan. Courts had not yet approved the deal, which would have awarded 86 victims up to $300,000 each. This marked the first time the archdiocese's finance council had gone against the professed wishes of Bernard Cardinal Law. Even if the plaintiffs go on to sue and win in civil court, Massachusetts law restricts the maximum payout from a nonprofit organization to $20,000 per victim. If the archdiocese...
...talks: "He's got to be willing to say that the [Palestinian] state will come in a reasonable time frame; it has to be viable [that is, territorially contiguous], and even if it's established on an interim basis, it's got to be linked to a final settlement." Whatever his proposal turns out to be, Sharon is not expected to back down on his feelings about Arafat. Israeli officials say Sharon will come armed with new, hard evidence of the Palestinian leader's continuing complicity in terrorism...
...archdiocese should immediately re-enter negotiations with the victims. In order to pay the $15 to $30 million settlement, the archdiocese ought to cut back on luxuries. It is imperative that the charities, schools and other community programs do not suffer because of the abuses committed by a handful of criminal clergymen...
Beyond a financial settlement, however, the archdiocese must recognize that substantial reforms in procedure and attitude are required in order to prevent future abuse. The prosecution and conviction of Geoghan and other priests is not enough. Along with legal and financial repercussions, the archdiocese will have to assume the political costs that such a disgrace brings as well...
...time for Law and the archdiocese to stop hiding from their responsibility to the victims of sexual abuse by priests. They should accept the financial settlement that was originally agreed upon with the original 86 victims and agree to settle future claims against abusive priests...