July 5 court hearing set on Covington sex abuse settlement accord

Published: 2005-06-24

COVINGTON, Ky. (CNS) -- A July 5 court hearing has been set to seek approval of a settlement agreement in a class action suit against the Covington Diocese by plaintiffs who say they were sexually abused as minors by clerics or diocesan employees. If approved by the Boone County Circuit Court, the agreement would establish a $120 million settlement fund for victims, with $40 million provided by the diocese and $80 million coming from diocesan insurers. The settlement agreement between the diocese and lawyers for the plaintiffs was made public June 3, but quickly ran into obstacles when Boone County Circuit Court Judge John Potter on June 9 questioned whether insurers would provide their share of the funds. Potter asked the agreeing parties to redraft the wording to stipulate that the diocese is still seeking the $80 million from the insurance companies.

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