Hundreds of recently filed sexual abuse lawsuits could lead to the bankruptcy of the Catholic Diocese of Sacramento, the diocese's bishop said this week in a letter to the congregation.
The diocese's financial predicament stems from a law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2019 that temporarily lifted the statute of limitations regarding child sexual abuse lawsuits. The law extended the age at which victims could file civil lawsuits over abuse to 40. It had been 26.
The law also opened a three-year window in which victims of any age could file lawsuits. The window closed on Dec. 31, 2022.