On October 1, 2020, The Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden, New Jersey (the “Debtor”) filed a petition in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey seeking relief under chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code.

The Diocese of Camden claims the filing is necessary to manage litigation expenses, especially after suffering financially from the COVID-19 pandemic. Bishop Dennis Sullivan, in an address to the public on the Diocese’s official website, explains, “If it were just the pandemic, or just the costs of the Victims Compensation Program, we could likely weather the financial impact; however, the combination of these factors has made that impracticable.”

The Victims Compensation Program sought to compensate victims of sexual abuse by members of the Camden Diocese, however the church’s bankruptcy filing halted any payments until further notice.

Still, many lawyers, including those at Merson Law, see this bankruptcy as an opportunity to expedite the process of compensating victims of sexual abuse.

In order to take advantage of this opportunity, you may need an Independent Reconciliation and Reparations Program Lawyer, also known as an IRRP Lawyer or IRRP Attorney. An attorney can fight for your rights and navigate the new legal obstacles caused by the bankruptcy filing.

The Catholic Church sex abuse scandal continues to make news with more and more victims coming out to claim the help they need.

Many of these victims don’t get the full compensation they deserve.

Do not miss your opportunity for monetary compensation.

Jordan Merson, Founder of Merson Law, New York’s top sex abuse law firm and winner of the largest sexual assault verdict in New York State History has helped numerous sexual abuse victims of the Catholic Church receive the compensation they truly deserve.

Attorney Jordan Merson has been successful in helping numerous sex abuse victims of the catholic church get the compensation they need and deserve, with child sex abuse cases with the New York IRCP , the Syracuse IRCP , the  Buffalo IRCP, and the Philadelphia IRRP and many more.

Jordan Merson and his firm, Merson Law, have been featured on many prominent media outlets for championing justice for sexual abuse victims.

And now Merson Law is representing church sex victims of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden, New Jersey.

Background Information:

On June 15, 2019, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark announced its Victim Compensation Program, accepting claims related to the sexual abuse of minors by diocesan priests of the Roman Catholic dioceses of Newark, Paterson, Metuchen, Trenton and Camden.

“The IVCP has been established to pay eligible victims who were sexually abused by clergy of the Roman Catholic Church while minors. This program is endorsed by all five Roman Catholic Dioceses and their bishops who are united in supporting abuse survivors by providing them with an efficient alternative to litigation, which is both speedy and transparent, to resolve their claims with a significantly lower level of proof and corroboration than required in a court of law.”

– Archdiocese of Newark, NJ

What you need to know if you were a sex abuse victim of the Diocese of Camden

• The Diocese of Camden Chapter 11 case has been filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey
• All applicants currently pending review through the NJIVCP will not receive their compensation until further notice (pending the resolution of the Diocese bankruptcy case), as well as any new applicants who sign up for the IVCP.
• The Chapter 11 restructuring may streamline the process of claiming for compensation.
• The Diocese of Camden encourages applicants to file their claim without the help of a lawyer, however applicants who retain legal representation receive more compensation on average than those who do not.
• To register with Merson Law, please provide you name, contact information, and a summary description of the nature of the claim, including the dates and location of the abuse and name of the perpetrator. Or simply contact us.
• New complaints of abuse received through the process must be reported to the local office of the District Attorney and to the Diocese of Camden for review. This is extremely complicated and daunting.

Let Merson Law take care of this task for you

• Individuals who previously submitted a complaint of sexual abuse of minors to the Diocese will have an opportunity to seek compensation.

• Individuals who have not previously filed a complaint with the Diocese may register to participate in the Program.

• The deadline to register a new allegation is soon.

Get the help that you need in maximizing your compensation

Helpful Links with Information & News about the Diocese of Camden Bankruptcy

• New Jersey Priest Sex Abuse List: Merson Law’s List of Credibly Accused Priests in New Jersey
• Full text: Diocese of Camden Voluntary Petition for Non-Individuals Filing for Bankruptcy
• New Jersey Independent Victims Compensation Program
• New Jersey Law Journal: Instead of Roadblock, Lawyers See Camden Diocese’s Bankruptcy as Way Forward for Accusers
• National Catholic Reporter: Camden diocese becomes latest to file for bankruptcy
• The Philadelphia Inquirer: Camden’s Catholic diocese left two-thirds of the claims filed with its sex abuse victim fund unpaid as it sought bankruptcy protection