A Washington appeals court on Monday ruled that the Archdiocese of Seattle must turn over internal records sought by the state in an investigation into whether charitable funds were used to conceal sexual abuse by clergy. The ruling reignites a long-running legal fight between church leaders and the state attorney general over access to decades of diocesan files.
The Court of Appeals concluded that the Attorney General’s Office can enforce subpoenas in the probe, clearing the way for civil discovery of accounting records, chancellery memos and other internal files, according to the Governor's Office. The decision, released this week, immediately renewed calls from survivors and reform advocates for full transparency.
Investigation background
Attorney General Bob Ferguson opened the investigation in May 2024 and subpoenaed the Seattle, Spokane and Yakima dioceses to examine whether charitable-trust funds were used to cover up abuse, according to the Attorney General’s Office. Ferguson’s team has argued that organizational structures such as a “corporation sole” do not automatically shield church entities from civil oversight when public rights and potential misuse of charitable dollars are on the line.
What the court said
A three-judge appeals panel wrote that the archdiocese can seek a religious exemption from specific laws only when it is truly necessary to protect religious freedom, narrowing how the Charitable Trusts Act applies and allowing the state to enforce its subpoenas, the Yakima Herald‑Republic reports. The opinion reverses a July 2024 King County Superior Court decision that had blocked the attorney general from compelling the archdiocese to comply, according to Catholic News Agency.
Archdiocese response and next steps
An archdiocese spokesperson told the Yakima Herald‑Republic that “our legal team is reviewing the ruling and we are determining next steps.” The archdiocese has repeatedly said it aims to cooperate in a lawful manner while maintaining that some internal records are protected under religious-freedom principles.
Why this matters and what comes next
If the Attorney General’s Office enforces the subpoenas and secures financial and internal records, investigators could determine whether charitable dollars were used to shield accused clergy, the same kind of discrepancy uncovered in other statewide probes. One Illinois report, for example, identified far more accused clerics than dioceses had previously disclosed, according to the Associated Press. Gov. Bob Ferguson called the appeals ruling “an important win for transparency” in a statement from his office.
The Attorney General’s Office says it will continue pressing for compliance and is prepared to seek review by the Washington Supreme Court if needed, setting up more legal battles over where religious autonomy ends and public accountability begins.
