Profile Facts
- Name
- Richard L. Howard
- Role
- Deacon
- Diocese
- Diocese of Saginaw
- Ordained
- 1977
- Status
- Guilty plea
- Records
- Diocesan and public records
When a deacon is accused of sexually abusing children, the betrayal cuts especially deep. Deacons serve as trusted teachers and spiritual guides in their parishes, and families place enormous confidence in them. The clergy sexual abuse lawyers at White Law PLLC represent Michigan survivors who were harmed by members of the clergy and the institutions that failed to protect them.
This page summarizes the reported accusations against Deacon Richard L. Howard, who was ordained for the Diocese of Saginaw in 1977 and later pleaded guilty to criminal sexual conduct involving minors. The information below comes from published diocesan records and the Michigan Attorney General’s investigation. If Deacon Howard harmed you or someone you love, a confidential consultation with White Law PLLC can help you understand your options.
Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Saginaw
The Diocese of Saginaw is one of Michigan’s seven Catholic dioceses, alongside the Archdiocese of Detroit and the dioceses of Gaylord, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Marquette. In 2018, the Michigan Attorney General opened a statewide investigation into clergy sexual abuse, and investigators have since released detailed reports on several dioceses, including Saginaw, documenting how allegations were handled over the decades. A Michigan clergy sexual abuse lawyer can explain how those findings may support a civil claim.
Deacon Howard taught religion at All Saints High School in Bay City and served at St. Stanislaus parish. Survivors who encountered him in those roles may have claims not only against him personally but also against the diocese, if church officials knew, or should have known, about the danger and failed to act.
The Allegations Against Deacon Richard L. Howard
Ordination and Ministry
Published records indicate that Richard L. Howard was ordained to the permanent diaconate on September 10, 1977, for the Diocese of Saginaw. He taught at All Saints High School in Bay City, where he served as a religion teacher, and was assigned to St. Stanislaus parish.
Criminal Charges and Guilty Plea
According to the Michigan Attorney General’s Diocese of Saginaw report, Howard was charged in April 1988 in Bay County with criminal sexual conduct and gross indecency involving a 15-year-old boy who attended All Saints High School. He had also been criminally charged in 1987 in Oscoda County with criminal sexual conduct and gross indecency involving a 14-year-old boy. In January 1989, Howard was sentenced in the Bay County case to six months in jail and five years of probation; the Oscoda County charges were dropped as part of a plea bargain.
The diocese suspended Howard’s faculties in April 1988 and laicized him in February 2006. His name was released by the diocese in April 2018 among clerics permanently removed over credible allegations of sexually abusing minors. Because Howard pleaded guilty and was sentenced, the criminal portion of his case is a matter of public record.
Criminal vs. Civil Sexual Abuse Cases
It helps to understand the difference between the two kinds of cases that can follow clergy abuse. A criminal case is brought by the state: a prosecutor charges the abuser, and a conviction can lead to jail or prison. The burden of proof is high, beyond a reasonable doubt. Deacon Howard’s 1989 sentencing came out of a criminal prosecution.
Criminal Cases
Criminal charges punish the offender, but they do not compensate the survivor. Prosecutors decide whether to file charges, and many survivors never see a criminal case move forward, especially when abuse is reported years later.
Civil Lawsuits
A civil lawsuit is filed by the survivor and seeks financial compensation from the abuser and often from the diocese or religious order that employed him. The standard of proof is lower, a preponderance of the evidence, and a civil case can succeed even when criminal charges were reduced, dropped, or never filed, as happened with the Oscoda County charges against Howard.
Statute of Limitations on Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases in Michigan
Michigan law sets deadlines for filing lawsuits, and survivors are often surprised to learn how these rules work. Under Michigan Legislature §600.5805, a civil claim for sexual abuse generally must be filed within ten years of the abuse or before the survivor turns 28, whichever is later. For first-degree criminal sexual conduct, Michigan imposes no time limit at all.
These deadlines can feel unfair, because trauma, shame, and repressed memories frequently keep survivors silent for decades. Some do not fully process what happened until well into adulthood. An attorney can review the specific dates in your case and determine whether a claim is still viable, so it is worth asking even if the abuse happened long ago.
View All Accused Clergy in Michigan
Pursue Justice With Help From White Law PLLC
A civil claim can provide resources for therapy and medical care, along with compensation for pain and suffering and emotional distress. Survivors may bring claims against the abuser himself, or his estate, and against the diocese or institution that knew or should have known about the abuse, failed to prevent it, covered it up, or neglected proper screening and training of its clergy.
White Law PLLC represents clergy abuse survivors across Michigan on a confidential basis. To discuss your legal options, call (517) 316-1195 or visit the firm’s office at .
Profiles summarize published records and allegations. Inclusion does not constitute a legal finding.