The Supreme Court Says No to Reopening the Boy Scouts Abuse Case

The highest court in the U.S. has made a significant decision. They refused to hear a case about the Boy Scouts' massive settlement for sex abuse claims. This means the deal, worth $2.46 billion, is now final.

Key Points

• Settlement Finalized: The Supreme Court's decision confirms the settlement approved in 2022.
• Protection for Organizations: The deal shields churches and other organizations that ran scouting programs from lawsuits.
• Survivors' Challenge: A group of 144 survivors attempted to challenge the settlement but lost in lower courts.
• Impact of the Decision: Undoing the settlement would cause significant problems, including the need to reclaim money already given to survivors.

Background

The Boy Scouts, now known as Scouting America, filed for bankruptcy in 2020. This followed new laws that allowed people to sue over old abuse claims. The settlement was designed to protect organizations that did not file for bankruptcy from lawsuits.

Supreme Court's Role

The Supreme Court had the opportunity to stop the settlement in 2024 but chose not to. This allowed the deal to proceed while appeals were ongoing. The final decision now confirms the settlement stands as it is.