Profile Facts
- Name
- Anthony J. Polakowski
- Role
- Priest
- Diocese
- Diocese of Marquette
- Ordained
- 1961
- Status
- Accused
- Died
- 9/23/1978
- Records
- Diocesan and public records
Some clergy abuse cases reveal patterns that spanned years and harmed many. The clergy sexual abuse lawyers at White Law PLLC know how to investigate those patterns and use them to hold dioceses accountable for Michigan survivors.
Father Anthony J. Polakowski was ordained in 1961 and served in the Diocese of Marquette. The Michigan Attorney General’s 2022 report documented multiple allegations against him, including reports of rectory parties where minors were given alcohol and marijuana. This page summarizes the record and explains survivors’ legal rights.
Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Marquette
The Diocese of Marquette, covering the Upper Peninsula, is one of Michigan’s seven Catholic dioceses. The other six are the Archdiocese of Detroit and the Dioceses of Grand Rapids, Saginaw, Lansing, Kalamazoo, and Gaylord. The Attorney General’s statewide clergy-abuse investigation, launched in 2018, produced its Marquette report in October 2022, documenting allegations against Polakowski and other priests.
A Michigan clergy sexual abuse lawyer can help survivors piece together decades-old evidence, from police reports to chancery files, into a compelling civil claim.
The Allegations Against Father Anthony J. Polakowski
The Rectory Parties
According to published records, the Michigan Attorney General’s October 2022 report states that in January 2004, a woman told the diocese that Polakowski had sexually abused her for a year when she was in sixth grade. She said he hosted parties in the rectory basement and supplied young people with marijuana and alcohol. A “hidden” room had been made into a “firepit,” and another contained a mattress; both were discovered by Chancellor Father Alexander Sample after he met with the woman. Polakowski had a “playboy” reputation, with “toys” including a Corvette, a snowmobile, and horses. A 1976 police report alleged that Polakowski gave alcohol to minors and mentioned rumors of parties in the rectory.
Multiple Reports Over the Years
Polakowski died in 1978 after crashing his car into another vehicle, killing two women and critically injuring a 16-year-old boy who was riding with him. In April 2018, a man reported that a priest had sexually abused him as a teenager in the mid-1970s; based on the man’s description, the Vicar for Clergy stated the priest was likely Polakowski. In March 2006, a woman reported that Polakowski had abused her in 1976 and 1977, at ages 15 and 16, and had also abused her brother. She said she told a teacher about her brother’s abuse, after which Polakowski was transferred. His death means criminal charges are impossible, but civil claims against his estate or the diocese may still be available.
Criminal vs. Civil Sexual Abuse Cases
Criminal law exists to punish wrongdoers; civil law exists to compensate those they harmed. A survivor’s civil lawsuit seeks damages for medical expenses, pain, suffering, and emotional distress, and it proceeds independently of anything prosecutors do or do not do.
When a diocese knew or should have known about a priest’s abusive conduct and responded with silence, transfers, or cover-ups instead of protection, Michigan law may hold the diocese itself liable in civil court.
Statute of Limitations on Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases in Michigan
Michigan’s civil deadline for sexual abuse claims is ten years, or until the survivor turns 28, whichever is later, under MCL §600.5805. First-degree criminal sexual conduct has no limitations period. This extended window reflects the reality that trauma and suppressed memories often keep survivors from reporting for decades.
Because the precise deadline depends on the facts, survivors should seek legal guidance early to preserve their ability to file.
View All Accused Clergy in Michigan
Pursue Justice With Help From White Law PLLC
If Father Anthony J. Polakowski or another priest abused you or someone you love, you may be entitled to significant compensation, and your lawsuit could help prevent future abuse by exposing institutional failures. White Law PLLC brings the experience and dedication these difficult cases demand.
Your confidential consultation is one call away at (517) 316-1195. Survivors across Michigan count on us, and you can too.
Profiles summarize published records and allegations. Inclusion does not constitute a legal finding.