Wisconsin DOJ not filing appeal over sealed Archdiocese documents

MILWAUKEE (WI)
Wisconsin Law Journal [Milwaukee WI]

October 15, 2024

 

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul announced Monday that the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) is not filing an appeal of the decision by the United States Bankruptcy court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin denying DOJ access to sealed documents from the bankruptcy cased filed by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in 2011 and closed in 2016.

According to Kaul, the Clergy and Faith Leader Abuse Initiative continues, and DOJ encourages anyone with information about clergy and faith leader abuse to make a report.

Attorney General Kaul issued the following statement:

“I am deeply disappointed that DOJ has not been authorized to access sealed documents from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s bankruptcy case that relate to allegations of abuse. As explained in our motion for access to certain sealed records, access to those records could have furthered the goals of the Clergy and Faith Leader Abuse Initiative, including the goal of assessing the accuracy of lists of credibly accused faith leaders.

If it were likely that an appeal would lead to a different outcome, DOJ would appeal the bankruptcy court’s decision. However, having carefully reviewed the decision, and given the deference that the law would provide to that decision on appeal, there is not a meaningful probability that an appeal would lead to our obtaining the access to sealed documents that we sought in this matter.

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