Archdiocese Not Off Hook From Priest Abuse Lawsuits

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio Supreme Court has agreed to consider whether to allow lawsuits claiming the Archdiocese of Cincinnati failed to warn victims of sexual abuse by priests.

Trial courts in Cincinnati and Shelby County threw out the lawsuits, saying the victims waited too long to file them.

The law says lawsuits over sexual abuse of a minor must be filed within one year after reaching age 18.

But the victims say the time limit should not apply because they only learned in 2002 that there were other victims and the church knew about them.

Appellate courts came to opposite decisions, prompting the high court to take up the question.

Several lawsuits are combined in one case. The victims claim the church protected priests they say sexually abused them as children.