Negligent Hiring Suit Against Catholic Diocese May Proceed

In Doe v. Norwich Roman Catholic Diocesan Corp., 2018 Conn. Super. LEXIS 45 (CT Super. Ct., Jan. 5, 2018), a Connecticut trial court refused to dismiss a suit alleging childhood sexual abuse of plaintiff at a Catholic school. The court said in part:

[P]laintiff has alleged negligent hiring and supervision of Brother Paul in his role as a school administrator, executive director, and teacher. Even if the plaintiff had alleged that Brother Paul was a priest ..., the "theological perceptions" of Brother Paul are irrelevant for the purposes of his fitness for ministry. Instead, any determination of whether the defendants evaluated Brother Paul's fitness for acting as a priest and teacher at the Academy center on his criminal conduct and/or propensity for the same.... [B]ecause the plaintiff has broadly alleged a secular negligent hiring and supervision claim as to Brother Paul's role as a school administrator, executive director, and teacher, the defendants' motion to dismiss ... is denied.