The Legal Herald Logo
Legal Analysis By Attorneys
Breaking Legal News

Arlington, VA - Retired Priest and Assistant Principal at Paul VI Catholic High School, Terry Specht, Accused of Sexual Abusing Two Minors

Arlington, VA - Retired Priest and Assistant Principal at Paul VI Catholic High School, Terry Specht, Accused of Sexual Abusing Two Minors
Published: January 19, 2022
By: Darla Medina
Last Updated on January 19, 2022

Former Priest and Assistant Principal Charged With Sexually Abusing Two Minors

WUSA has reported that a former priest has been accused of sexually abusing a boy while serving as the assistant principal at St. Paul VI Catholic High School located at 42341 Braddock Rd, Chantilly, VA 20152. 

The Diocese of Arlington released the name of 69-year-old Terry Specht during a mass sexual abuse investigation in 2019. The first accusation was said to have taken place in 2000, while Specht was the assistant principal at Paul VI Catholic High School. Specht, a retired priest, also served from 2004 to 2011 as the Arlington Diocese’s Office of Child Protection and Safety director. A second assault accusation was made in 2019. 

Specht was indicted on the charges on December 28, 2021, of two felony counts of sexual battery and abuse of a child. 

Hello. My name is Kevin Biniazan. I am licensed to practice law in Arizona and Virginia. If you or a loved one needs legal assistance, I’d be happy to speak with you. Call the number below. It would be my honor to help you. Consultations are free.
(888) 997-3792

Lawsuits for Sexual Abuse in Catholic Schools

Attorney contributor Kevin Biniazan represents sex abuse victims and their families in civil lawsuits. As an experienced attorney for sexual abuse in Catholic schools, Kevin has offered some information for victims sexually abused by an assistant principal.

"The safety of the Catholic school's students should be a top priority for school officials. Protections and preventative measures should be a part of every school safety plan. Unfortunately, sexual predators have been reported working in schools more often lately. These positions, such as teachers and principals, allow them to exploit their positions of power and trust to abuse students. The school could have often prevented the abuse if they had upheld their legal duty to provide security measures such as security cameras, patrolling security officers, and conducting background checks. If an assistant principal is charged with sexually abusing a child, there should be a full investigation. Along with the police investigation of the perpetrator, many third parties should also be investigated for negligence. This may include the school, the diocese, or the department responsible for child protection and safety. If a third party is found to be neglecting their security obligations, they could be held liable."

"Additionally, a school could be deemed negligent if they are found to ignore past complaints of misconduct. In negligence cases, the victims and their families could have grounds to file a lawsuit against the school or diocese. Victims and their families are encouraged to contact an experienced sex abuse attorney for guidance with the legal process."

Sources:

WUSA 

Got A Tip Or Questions 
About A Story?
Call Us!
The Legal Herald
888-997-3792
About the Author
Darla Medina
About Darla Medina
Editor: Darla is a content writer with a focus on the legal field. She covers cases of sexual abuse, drunk driving, and preventable violent crime for the Legal Herald. Contact Darla: darla@eaglepeakmarketing.com This article was fact checked prior to publishing by this author to ensure compliance with our rigorous editorial standards. We will only use authoritative sources. Our values compel us to provide only trustworthy information. If you find an error, please contact us.
Read some recent posts
Find A Local Lawyer

  • Details
  • Incident

Find A Local Lawyer

Want To Contribute Breaking News? 
Contact Us Today
Legal Herald Logoinfo@legalherald.com
10355 Kensington Shore Dr. #102
Orlando, FL 32827
Call: (888) 997-3792
© 2020 The Legal Herald, a division of Eagle Peak Marketing, LLC. All rights reserved.

We would like our readers to know that the information in this story may be sourced from secondary sources and may therefore contain inaccuracies. We will correct them if and when they are brought to our attention or we discover them through our editing process. If you have any concerns about this post, please contact us immediately and we will rectify issues. DISCLAIMER: The material contained in this post is for general informational purposes. It is not intended to constitute or express legal or medical advice. Any laws referenced herein are substantially based on general legal principles and may not be applicable to your particular situation. Laws can often be different from one jurisdiction to the next. The Legal Herald is not a law firm. Law firms and lawyers from around the country may apply to become a sponsor or contributor to The Legal Herald.
SitemapMedia RoomDisclaimer / Terms Of Service & Privacy Policy