The Rockville Centre bankruptcy is confirmed and final
The Diocese of Rockville Centre, which covers Nassau and Suffolk counties, reorganised through Chapter 11 and its plan is confirmed: a $323 million settlement covering roughly 600 claimants. At the time it was confirmed, it was the largest diocesan bankruptcy settlement in US history; larger settlements have since been reached elsewhere, but Rockville Centre’s remains fully resolved and paid out.
That posture is genuinely different from other parts of the state. It is not the same as
Buffalo, where a proposed settlement is still awaiting court confirmation, and not the same as
Brooklyn or the Archdiocese of New York, which never filed at all. Anyone describing “the New
York diocese bankruptcy” as a single thing is wrong.
See clergy abuse claims for how the dioceses
compare.
Beyond the diocese
Long Island claims also arise from its hospital systems, its universities, and its schools.
Schooling here is unusually fragmented across Nassau and Suffolk, which means identifying the
correct district, the actual defendant, is a real early step rather than a formality.
Local detail that shapes a claim here
| Local detail | Who or what |
|---|---|
| County | Nassau County and Suffolk County |
| Police | Nassau County Police Department / Suffolk County Police Department |
| Hospital system | Northwell Health (North Shore University Hospital, Long Island Jewish) |
| Hospital system | NYU Langone Hospital, Long Island |
| Hospital system | Stony Brook Medicine |
| Hospital system | Catholic Health Long Island |
| University | Hofstra University |
| University | Stony Brook University |
| University | Adelphi University |
| University | Long Island University Post |
| Local crisis support | The Crime Victims Center (Nassau), 24/7 hotline (516) 542-0404; Victims Information Bureau of Suffolk (VIBS), (631) 360-3606, |
| Diocese | Diocese of Rockville Centre, $323 million, confirmed and fully resolved, covering roughly 600 claimants ($234.8M from the diocese, ~$85M from insurers) |
| Institutional litigation | Diocese of Rockville Centre Chapter 11, $323M, confirmed and fully resolved |
Support in Long Island
If what you need right now is support rather than a lawyer, the services above are free and
independent of this firm. See survivor resources for
the full statewide list, including the RAINN hotline on
1-800-656-4673.
Time limits in New York turn on how old you were, who was responsible and the particular facts. Two rules anchor most cases: someone abused as a child can generally bring a civil claim up to their 55th birthday, and certain felony sexual offences suffered as an adult carry a 20 year window. Neither is the whole picture, and people regularly assume they are out of time when they are not. Ask rather than assume, it is a free call.
Do you take cases in Long Island?
Yes. The practice covers New York State, including Long Island. Where the abuse happened matters because it determines which institution is responsible and which court hears the claim, so tell us early in the conversation.
Do I have to come to your office?
No. The first conversation is by phone, and we make arrangements that suit you after that. Nobody is required to travel in order to ask a question.
Is a claim here different from elsewhere in New York?
Often, yes. The responsible institution, the county and, in clergy cases, the diocese all affect how a claim proceeds. That is why local detail is worth establishing at the start.
What does it cost?
Nothing to ask. These cases are handled on a contingency fee, so there is no fee unless there is a recovery.