NEWARK, N.J. — A New Jersey appellate court has blocked the release of most of a confidential Seton Hall University report examining the institution’s handling of sexual abuse allegations linked to former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, ruling that large portions of the document are protected by attorney-client privilege and related legal protections.
The decision, issued this week by the Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court, partially overturned a lower-court order that had required Seton Hall to disclose the report to attorneys representing clergy abuse victims. The report, prepared by law firm Latham & Watkins and commonly known as the “Latham report,” was commissioned by the university following scrutiny arising from the McCarrick abuse scandal.
In its ruling, the appeals court concluded that substantial portions of the report were protected from disclosure. However, judges said one section concerning the university’s sexual harassment policies constituted a form of self-critical analysis that was not prepared in anticipation of litigation and therefore could be subject to disclosure in ongoing legal proceedings. The court also said some material in that section could still be redacted, depending on its contents.
The report has never been made public. According to court filings and prior reporting, it examines the university’s response to allegations connected to McCarrick, the former archbishop of Newark and Washington who was removed from the priesthood after the Vatican found him guilty of sexual abuse of minors and adults. McCarrick died in 2025.
The litigation over the report is part of broader civil proceedings involving alleged victims of clergy abuse. Attorneys for plaintiffs had argued that the document could provide evidence regarding how university and church officials handled complaints and whether information about misconduct was properly reported.
Following the ruling, attorney Gregory Gianforcaro, who represents some plaintiffs, said his legal team welcomed the court’s determination that portions of the report must be produced but was reviewing the decision and considering further appellate options, according to comments reported by EWTN News.
Seton Hall did not immediately comment publicly on the ruling, according to reports.
The controversy has also prompted separate reviews within the Roman Catholic Church. In 2025, Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark ordered an independent examination of issues related to the handling of allegations discussed in earlier investigations. Church officials have said that review remains ongoing.
As of Tuesday, the appellate ruling left most of the Latham report shielded from disclosure while allowing limited portions to be produced, subject to possible redactions and any further appeals.
