Facing a deluge of over 100 lawsuits alleging sexual abuse, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ogdensburg in upstate New York has announced it is seeking bankruptcy protection. This move comes as the diocese grapples with legal action stemming from New York's temporary lifting of the statute of limitations, which allowed victims of childhood abuse to bring forth claims regardless of when the alleged incidents occurred. Bishop Terry R. LaValley confirmed that the diocese currently faces 124 pending cases, with allegations spanning from the 1940s to the 1990s.

Ogdensburg becomes the sixth of New York's eight dioceses to resort to Chapter 11 bankruptcy, joining others such as Buffalo, Rochester, and Rockville Centre. Covering a vast, predominantly rural area, the Ogdensburg diocese has the fewest parishes (81) of any diocese in the state. Diocese officials maintain that the bankruptcy filing aims to ensure fair and equitable resolution of the claims while simultaneously upholding the diocese's mission of service. Bishop LaValley emphasized that the filing won't impede claims filed by survivors but rather establishes a process for their fair treatment.

However, attorneys representing survivors have criticized the decision, accusing the diocese of prioritizing self-preservation over accountability. Attorney Cynthia LaFave argued that the bankruptcy filing deliberately obstructs survivors' opportunity to have their voices heard and acknowledged.