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In a historic decision that may shape the future of clergy sexual abuse litigation in New Jersey, a Morris County jury awarded $5 million in damages to a former Delbarton School student who said he was sexually assaulted by a Benedictine priest in 1976, NorthJersey.com reported. The plaintiff, identified as T.M., was 15 years old when he said the Rev. Richard Lott assaulted him on campus. While the jury found the Order of St. Benedict of New Jersey not negligent for permitting the assault, it held both Lott and the order responsible for the harm caused, assigning 35% of the liability to Lott and 65% to the religious order.
The verdict marks the first clergy sexual assault case tied to Delbarton School to reach trial and is believed to be the first clergy abuse case in New Jersey to result in a jury award. The trial will now move into its punitive damages phase, where jurors will decide whether the order should face further financial penalties.
Delbarton and St. Mary’s Abbey issued a joint statement expressing disappointment in the verdict but said they remain committed to creating a safe environment for students. Attorneys for T.M. and his supporters hailed the verdict as a major milestone for accountability within the Catholic Church. Mark Crawford, New Jersey director of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), called it “a powerful message to all institutions that they must take allegations seriously,” emphasizing that survivors should not fear coming forward.
The 2019 New Jersey law extending the statute of limitations for survivors of child sexual abuse made the trial possible, allowing claims to be filed until age 55 or within seven years of realizing the lasting harm of abuse. Advocates hope the decision will encourage other survivors to pursue justice and push the Church toward deeper reform.
[Update – Oct. 20, 2025: A New Jersey jury declined to award punitive damages against Delbarton School or St. Mary’s Abbey, one week after granting plaintiff, “T.M.” $5 million in compensatory damages. T.M. called the case a “seismic shift toward institutional accountability,” while his lawyers said it marked the first verdict in New Jersey against Catholic Church-affiliated defendants for clergy sexual abuse. Delbarton officials expressed relief over the latest verdict, saying the school had no prior knowledge of the abuse. The case was the first of 39 pending lawsuits against the elite Catholic prep school, where more than 30 additional accusers have since come forward.]
[Update – Oct. 29, 2025: NJ.com reports that The Delbarton School and the Order of St. Benedict of New Jersey are asking a judge to throw out the $5 million jury verdict. In a legal filing, the school argues the damages were excessive and that the trial was fundamentally flawed. They claim the judge made improper legal rulings and that statements made by the plaintiff’s attorneys during opening and closing arguments unfairly influenced the jury, resulting in what they called a “miscarriage of justice.”]
Visit our Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Guide to learn how to take the next step toward accountability and healing. Survivors across the country are coming forward — not only to seek compensation, but to be heard, validated, and empowered to reclaim their lives.
