(MPR News) – The Minnesota Court of Appeals has cleared the way for attorneys representing an alleged victim of clergy sexual abuse to question Archbishop John Nienstedt under oath.
In a three-page order issued Wednesday, Chief Judge Edward Cleary denied requests by the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the Diocese of Winona to block depositions of Nienstedt and former vicar general Kevin McDonough.
Court decisions allowing depositions to move forward are often important in abuse cases because depositions can uncover internal communications, policies, and decisions related to how abuse allegations were handled. Sworn testimony from leadership and administrators can provide important information about what was known and what actions were taken in response to abuse reports.