Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Supreme Court today allowed a lawsuit against the Vatican to move forward in U.S. District Court in Oregon.

Sex abuse victims have never successfully sued the Vatican over how the Catholic Church dealt with abusive priests. Amelia Templeton reports.

The plaintiff in the suit was molested in the 1960s by a Portland priest who had allegedly admitted abusing children in Ireland and Chicago.

Attorneys for the Vatican argue that the Oregon suit isn't valid because the Holy See is a sovereign state.

But the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said the Oregon case might fall under an exception to sovereign immunity. A sovereign state can face a civil suit if its employee has injured someone.

The Supreme Court decided not to review the appeals court decision. So it goes back to district court in Oregon.

Newport attorney Kevin Strever represents the plaintiff.

Kevin Strever: "It's taken eight years just to get to this point. Starting with literally translating the foreign sovereign immunities act into Latin. And a copy of the lawsuit into Latin and serving the Holy See through the State Department."

The plaintiffs attorneys expects the case to go to trial.

Attorney Jeffrey Lena represents the Vatican. He says the Oregon court does not have jurisdiction and he will ask it to drop the case.