Abuse Tracker

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Lawyers for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport argued in state Appellate Court Friday that a lower court judge did not have the jurisdiction to order the release of church documents alleging sexual abuse by priests.

But media attorneys said the public has a constitutional right to see the seven boxes of documents stored at Waterbury Superior Court.

The documents are part of 23 lawsuits against six priests spanning the late 1960s to the early 1990s. Most of the victims were altar boys or belonged to church youth organizations.

The diocese settled the claims in March 2001 for an undisclosed sum. The documents were sealed by court order in 1994.