Diocese of Oakland Sexual Abuse Attorney
Clergy sexual abuse is an atrocity the lawyers at Manly, Stewart & Finaldi will not stand for. We also believe the actions of dioceses – including the Diocese of Oakland – to cover up known incidents of sexual abuse are unacceptable. Our lead lawyer, John C. Manly, has dedicated his professional life to becoming a nationwide leader in sex abuse survivor representation. He and his attorneys may be able to help you obtain justice and fair compensation for your traumatic experiences as a child. Please contact us immediately to discuss your case, no matter how long ago the abuse occurred.
Why Choose Us?
- You need a lawyer you can trust. We prioritize client confidentiality and will keep your identity completely private throughout your case if desired.
- You can benefit from our experience. We have fought on behalf of sex abuse and assault survivors for more than 20 years. Our client base includes over 150 survivors of clergy abuse in California alone.
- You will have the power to take the Diocese of Oakland to court. Our CA sexual abuse lawyers are not afraid to stand up against powerful religious establishments in pursuit of justice, even if that means taking a case to trial.
44 Individuals in the Diocese of Oakland Publicly Accused of Sexual Abuse
Currently, the Diocese of Oakland encompasses an estimated 500,000 Catholics and 84 parishes. In February 2019, the Diocese of Oakland published the names of 44 clergymen with credible accusations against them of sexually abusing children. The list spans accounts from the last 60 years and includes priests, deacons and brothers from 10 religious orders.
| First | Last | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jeffrey N. | Acebo | Sued |
| Thomas Duong | Binh-Minh | Accused |
| Vincent Ignatius | Breen | Sued |
| Donald Eugene | Broderson | Sued |
| Kenneth J. | Cabral | Accused |
| Alexander Q. | Castillo | Accused |
| James A. | Clark | Sued |
| Phillip | Colloty | Accused |
| Hilary | Cooper | Accused |
| Virendra | Coutts | Accused |
| George E. | Crespin | Sued |
| Sidney J. | Custodio | Sued |
| Pearse P. | Donovan | Sued |
| Dennis | Duffy | Accused |
| Donald W. | Eagleson | Sued |
| Joseph A. | Ferreira | Sued |
| Patrick | Finnegan | Accused |
| George J. | Francis | Sued |
| Robert E. | Freitas | Convicted |
| Adrian | Furman | Accused |
| William S. | Green | Convicted |
| Joseph (Jesse) | Gutierrez-Cervantes | Settled |
| Stephen M. | Kiesle | Convicted |
| Ronald J. | LaGasse | Arrested |
| Tarcisio D. | Lanuevo | Accused |
| Cornelius P. | Leehan | Sued |
| Gary M. | Luiz | Sued |
| Bede | McKinnon | Accused |
| Daniel | McLeod | Accused |
| Hector David | Mendoza Vela | Convicted |
| Joaquin | Moreno | Accused |
| Lawrence | O’Brien | Sued |
| William | Odom-Green | Convicted |
| Robert F. | Ponciroli | Arrested |
| James E. | Prindeville | Sued |
| Arthur A. (Arturo) | Ribeiro | Sued |
| Anthony | Slane | Sued |
| Gary B. | Tollner | Accused |
| Ramon | Varela | Accused |
| John | Vas | Accused |
| Francis | Verngren | Sued |
| Stephen (Steve) | Whelan | Sued |
| Gordon | Wilcox | Sued |
| Terrence | Wong | Sued |
The list includes accusations of crimes such as sexual molestation, sexual abuse, fondling and rape. The alleged survivors include both boys and girls, typically members of the parish at the time. Although being on the list does not equal guilt, it means the Diocese had enough evidence to classify the allegations as credible. Many of the published stories also involve accusations against the Diocese itself for failing to notify the authorities.
New Statute of Limitations in California
On October 13th, 2019, the governor approved Assembly Bill (AB) No. 218. AB 218 effectively extended the statute of limitations, or deadline to file, a civil claim as a survivor of child sex abuse or assault. Previously, the deadline was eight years from the plaintiff’s age of majority or three years from the date the plaintiff reasonably should have discovered the cause of psychological injury or illness was sexual abuse.
Today, plaintiffs have 22 years from the age of majority or 5 years from the date of discovery to bring their claims. Under AB 218, childhood sexual abuse survivors now have until age 40 to bring their claims rather than age 26. AB 218 is important since many survivors find it difficult to come forward with their cases until many years after the incident. Others do not recall childhood sexual abuse until long after the fact. In either situation, survivors now have 14 additional years in which to file civil lawsuits for child sexual abuse.
Do You Have a Claim?
If you are within your statute of limitations and are a survivor of clergy sexual abuse in the Diocese of Oakland, contact the sex abuse attorneys at Manly, Stewart & Finaldi for an in-depth legal consultation. You may have a claim for financial damages, including compensation for your psychological trauma, emotional distress, lost quality of life, post-traumatic stress disorder, medical bills and legal fees. Our lawyers may be able to help you hold the Diocese of Oakland vicariously responsible for the actions of its clergymen.
Start Your Claim Today
At Manly, Stewart & Finaldi, we have the experience, resources and drive to yield exceptional results for clergy abuse survivors. We have successfully represented more than 150 survivors of clergy sexual abuse in California over the past 20 years. Let us evaluate your claim during a free and confidential case review. Contact us online or call (855) 944-0710 today.