Judge Favors St. Patrick Interparish Diocese in Civil Lawsuit, Dismisses Negligence Allegations

A judge has closed a negligence lawsuit filed against the Diocese of St. Augustine and St. Patrick Interparish Catholic School of Gainesville relating to the criminal charges previously filed against now-former P.E. teacher Christopher Chell.

Chell was arrested in 2024 after police charged him with molesting children at the school but he got off with five years of probation after prosecutors dropped/reduced many charges and offered a plea deal. 

In November 2024, attorneys representing one of the victims and their parents filed a lawsuit against the school and their governing authority.

Last month, after nearly two years and a voluminous amount of litigation, Judge George Wright granted the Diocese's motion to dismiss the claims of negligent hiring and negligent supervision. 

The plaintiff didn't accept a $95,000 settlement before Wright granted the defendants' motion for summary judgement to dismiss the case, court records show.

GnvInfo may release more information after the case is more thoroughly reviewed.