The US Supreme Court has declined to hear the appeal of Richard Trahant, a Louisiana attorney fined $400,000 for his efforts to remove a sexually abusive Roman Catholic priest from a high school campus. The justices issued an order on Monday without explanation, effectively ending Trahant's legal challenge.
Background of the Case
Trahant represents dozens of victims in the New Orleans Catholic clergy abuse scandal, which drove the archdiocese into federal bankruptcy in 2020. During the bankruptcy proceedings, Trahant learned that priest Paul Hart had secretly confessed to sexual contact with a 17-year-old girl in the early 1990s. Although state law set the age of consent at 17, Catholic bishops had raised the canon law age to 18 in 2002. Archbishop Gregory Aymond allowed Hart to continue in ministry, later assigning him as chaplain at Brother Martin High School in 2017.
Trahant's Actions and Fine
In late 2021, Trahant informed the school's principal, his cousin Ryan Gallagher, that Hart faced a credible allegation involving a minor. He also contacted a journalist. The archdiocese subsequently provided Brother Martin with details of Hart's misconduct, leading to Hart's retirement in January 2022. Federal Judge Meredith Grabill then ordered an investigation into an alleged protective order violation, focusing on Trahant. Despite evidence supporting Trahant's denial of disclosing confidential information, Grabill fined him $400,000, which grew to about $460,000 with interest, and expelled four of his clients from the survivors' committee.
Supreme Court Decision
Trahant argued that his due process rights were violated, but lower courts upheld the sanction. The Supreme Court denied his petition on Monday. In response, Trahant challenged the archdiocese to direct the fine toward abuse survivors, stating, “I maintain I did what I did to protect children.” Client James Adams said the ruling “affirmed the protection of sexual predators over the safety of children.” Another client, Jackie Berthelot, added, “It’s a shame that somebody who spoke up against abusers … would be penalized in such a harsh manner.” Hart died at 70 in 2022, and Aymond retired in February 2024 after the archdiocese agreed to pay approximately $305 million to survivors.
