Seattle Archdiocese pays $1.3M to settle sex abuse case

SEATTLE – The Seattle Archdiocese has paid $1.3 million to settle a sex-abuse lawsuit involving a former member of a religious order who taught in its schools.

A man sued the archdiocese in 2015, alleging the church knew Edward Courtney abused students at two archdiocesan schools in Seattle but later recommended him for a teaching job at a public school outside Tacoma.

The man alleged Courtney abused him in 1981 and 1982 at the public school.

Archbishop J. Peter Sartain said in a statement last month that he hopes the settlement will bring closure and help the plaintiff in his healing.

Courtney was not criminally charged in the case, or named as a defendant in the lawsuit. Efforts to locate Courtney Monday were not immediately successful.

The lawsuit alleges the archdiocese and Christian Brothers should have reported Courtney to the authorities rather than give him access to children.

The plaintiff’s attorney, Michael Pfau, says the settlement was finalized last week.