Delbarton won't face punitive damages
Jury decides unanimously in historic clergy abuse case
By: William Westhoven
and Alex Nussbaum
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey
MORRISTOWN - The jury in a groundbreaking sexual assault trial spared the Delbarton School and the Catholic order that oversees it from a potentially devastating punitive damage award on October 16, [2025] as the case against the exclusive Morris County prep school came to a close.
.....
After almost five hours of deliberations over two dais, the jury at th Morris County Courthouse decided unanimously on Thursday [10/16/2025] against damages on top of the $5 million compensatory award it granted last week [10/10/2025] to a Delbarton graduate who said he was abused in the 1970s.
..... The jury ruled last week [10/10/2025] in favor of the graduate, who said he has suffered trauma ever since he was assaulted as a 15-year-old by the Rev. Richard Lott, a former Delbarton teacher and maintenance director. his lawyers suggested jurors to punish the school and the Order of St, Benedict of New Jersey for creating "a culture of abuse and a culture of silence."
..... Attorneys for both sides declined to comment immediately after the verdict, and the jurors were not made available for comment. The victim identified during the trial as "T.M.,: also declined to comment. On his way out of the courtroom, he smiled and hugged some of the many supporters who have been a constant presence at the five week trial, including some who identify as survivors of sexual abuse at Delbarton or other religious institutions.
..... Those supporters were surprised and disappointed that T.M. did not receive a punitive award, which could have been up to three times the size of the compensatory damages. but they celebrated T.M., now 65, for his"precedent-setting bravery" in pursuing the case, said Robert Hoatson, co-founder and president of Road to Recovery, a Livingston-based nonprofit group that assists sexual abuse victims and their families.
.....
"This is really the first time an individual has taken his case this far, and own," said Hoatson, a former priest and abuse victim. "the measure is victims now know that they possibly can get some justice for what has happened to them."
.....
Delbarton has settled past abuse claims and faces more than 30 other pending lawsuits. The current case was also watched closely as the first lawsuit to go to trial among hundreds filed against the Catholic Church in New Jersey alleging clergy abuse.
..... The Order of St. Benedict of New Jersey issued a statement a few hours after Thursday's [10/16/2025] verdict, signed by Abbot Jonathan Licari, the order's administrator, and the Delbarton headmaster, the Rev. Michael Tidd.
..... "we are please and grateful that the jury in the punitive damages phase of tis trial unanimously found that St. Mary's Abbey and Delbartopn School are not liable for punitive damages," the statement read. "The jury's verdict in this phase of the trial is consistent with what they found earlier in the compensatory portion of the trial: St. Mary's Abbey and Delbarton School did not know of the abuses found by the jury, and there was no intentional misconduct nor malice towards the plaintiff by the Abbey or school."
..... Lott, the school and the order have denied wrongdoing. On Monday, [10/13/2025] Tidd testified that a large punitive award on top of the compensatory damages "could put us out f business."
..... Attorney Greg Cianforcaro, who represented 21 alleged Delbarton abuse victims and hundreds more accusing other religious institutions around the state, was another daily observer at the landmark trial.
..... "T.M.'s counsel tired an amazing case. They did not make any mistakes,: he said. "The fact that T.M. had the courage to stick it out, and to say 'no.' As a result, the jury recognized that OSBNJ is ever more responsible for the abuse than the abusers for his abuse. That speaks volumes."
..... Gianforcaro, whose practice specializes in cases of child and clergy abuse, added that they are now "assessing which of the 31 plaintiffs we have will go next. When that will be, we don't know. but we absolutely have our cases lined up.
.....
The $5 million compensatory award on its own 'should send a powerful message to all institutions that they must take allegation seriously," Mark Crawford, the New Jersey director for SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said after last week's verdict. [10/10/2025]