Following AG Report on Decades of Clergy Abuse, Jenner Law Calls for Legislative Reform

NANTUCKET, MA, October 07, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- A newly released report from the Office of Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell documents decades of child sexual abuse by clergy in the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Fall River, Springfield, and Worcester, along with the institutional failures that allowed the abuse to continue. Jenner Law, a firm that represents survivors of clergy abuse, has reviewed the report and is calling on the Massachusetts Legislature to remove the legal barriers that keep survivors from holding abusers and institutions accountable, including by eliminating the civil statute of limitations for child sexual abuse claims.

The investigation, which began in 2019, included a review of more than 300,000 pages of documents and interviews with more than 100 individuals, including diocesan officials and survivors. Investigators identified 944 survivors and 275 accused clergy members, including bishops, priests, religious brothers, deacons, and nuns, across the three dioceses. The report notes that these counts were not filtered by any assessment of credibility and are not an exact accounting, and it cautions that the full scope of the abuse cannot be determined because of underreporting by survivors and the dioceses' failure to keep accurate records.

The report details how, for decades, diocesan officials transferred abusive priests to new parishes without warning parishioners, concealed allegations, and failed to notify law enforcement. It also finds that failures persist today in areas essential to child protection, including training, investigation of allegations, supervision of accused priests, and recordkeeping.

Because of statutes of limitations and other legal constraints, the Attorney General's Office was unable to bring criminal charges for the abuse it uncovered. Survivors face similar barriers in civil court, where Massachusetts' statute of limitations can bar their claims. House Bill 1829, filed by Representative John J. Lawn, Jr., would eliminate the civil statute of limitations for child sexual abuse claims against abusers and against institutions whose negligent supervision or other conduct caused or contributed to the abuse. It would also revive claims that have already expired, although revived claims against an employing or supervising entity would require a finding of negligence. On March 26, 2026, the Joint Committee on the Judiciary reported the bill to accompany a study order. Jenner Law urges lawmakers to refile and pass legislation eliminating the civil statute of limitations in the next legislative session.

Jenner Law also supports eliminating Massachusetts' $20,000 cap on damages against charitable organizations, which can limit what survivors recover from religious institutions even when negligence is proven. Because H. 1829 addresses only the statute of limitations, both barriers must be removed for survivors to obtain meaningful accountability.

About Jenner Law

Jenner Law advocates for survivors of clergy abuse, with a commitment informed by decades of litigation experience. Attorney Robert K. Jenner founded the firm and has more than 40 years of experience representing victims of negligence and abuse in both state and federal courts. Jenner has been a leading advocate for survivors' rights, including his work supporting Maryland's Child Victims Act and defending it before the Supreme Court of Maryland.

Reflecting on the firm's work and the Attorney General's report, Jenner states, "We have seen how institutional secrecy and legal barriers can delay accountability for decades, and why survivors deserve compassionate representation and a real chance to be heard."

Original Source

Read the original story here: https://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/539376/jenner-law-urges-massachusetts-lawmakers-to-remove-legal-barriers-for-clergy-abuse-survivors-following-ag-report

Press Release Service and Press Release Distribution by 24-7 Press Release Newswire