9th Circuit Rules Vatican Can Be Sued Over Abuse

Finding abuse to be an exception to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, the 9th Circuit ruled on Tuesday that victims of sexual abuse by Roman Catholic priests can sue the Vatican even though it is considered a sovereign nation.

William McCall

2009-03-04 12:00:00 AM

A federal appeals court says the Vatican can be sued for abuse committed by its priests.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that victims of sexual abuse by Roman Catholic priests can sue the Vatican even though it is considered a sovereign nation.

The appeals court said there are exceptions to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, and abuse can be one of them.

The Oregon case has been working its way through the federal appeals court since a judge in Portland ruled in 2006 that the Holy See can be held responsible for the actions of individual priests.