Profile Facts
- Name
- Jan (John) Tyminski
- Role
- Priest
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit
- Ordained
- 1935
- Status
- Accused
- Died
- 9/29/1984
- Records
- Diocesan and public records
Father Jan (John) Tyminski, ordained in 1935, is a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit who faces accusations of sexual abuse involving minors. White Law PLLC’s clergy sexual abuse lawyers represent survivors throughout Michigan; here is what has been publicly reported about Father Jan (John) Tyminski.
What follows is a summary of Father Jan (John) Tyminski’s assignments, the accusations on the public record, and the civil and criminal avenues Michigan law provides. Survivors deserve clear information, and that is what this page aims to give.
Sexual Abuse in the Archdiocese of Detroit
State investigators have been examining clergy abuse in Michigan since the Attorney General’s 2018 investigation, with the Archdiocese of Detroit included in that effort. If Father Jan (John) Tyminski abused you, a Michigan clergy sexual abuse lawyer at our firm can walk you through the findings.
Michigan is home to seven Catholic dioceses, Diocese of Kalamazoo, Diocese of Saginaw, Diocese of Marquette, Diocese of Gaylord, Archdiocese of Detroit, Diocese of Lansing, Diocese of Grand Rapids. The Attorney General’s office has released detailed reports on several of them, and the findings for the Archdiocese of Detroit help document the allegations against Father Jan (John) Tyminski.
The Allegations Against Father Jan (John) Tyminski
Where He Served
Jan (John) Tyminski was ordained in Poland in 1935 and arrived in the United States in 1950, according to published diocesan records. He retired in 1976 and died in 1984. The Archdiocese of Detroit publicly named him as accused in May 2019 and placed him on its list of credibly accused priests on June 10, 2019.
What Survivors Reported
The Archdiocese said it had received an allegation more than ten years earlier, after Tyminski’s death, and that a second victim came forward in early 2019. The Archdiocesan Review Board deemed the allegations credible.
Because the allegations surfaced after Tyminski’s death, criminal charges were never possible; he is no longer alive for anyone to pursue them. Survivors may still have civil options against his estate or the Archdiocese.
Criminal vs. Civil Sexual Abuse Cases
Michigan law treats abuse by clergy such as Father Jan (John) Tyminski through two separate systems. Criminal prosecution is the government’s case and aims at punishment, while a civil claim belongs to the survivor and aims at compensation. A survivor may pursue a civil case regardless of whether criminal charges were ever filed.
A survivor abused by Father Jan (John) Tyminski can bring a civil lawsuit against him directly, against his estate where applicable, and against the diocese or order that placed him in ministry. Liability can attach when church officials knew or should have known of the threat and still failed to prevent the abuse, hid it, or used poor screening and training practices. Compensation may cover medical and therapy expenses, pain and suffering, and emotional distress.
Statute of Limitations on Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases in Michigan
Michigan Legislature §600.5805 controls the civil deadline for claims involving Father Jan (John) Tyminski: survivors typically have ten years from the abuse or until their 28th birthday to sue. First-degree criminal sexual conduct, by contrast, carries no statute of limitations under Michigan law.
Delayed reporting is the norm, not the exception, in cases involving clergy such as Father Jan (John) Tyminski. Memory loss and trauma responses can keep survivors from recognizing or disclosing abuse until decades later. Michigan law’s longer civil window was built with that reality in mind.
View All Accused Clergy in Michigan
Pursue Justice With Help From White Law PLLC
If you were abused by Father Jan (John) Tyminski, please reach out. White Law PLLC offers confidential consultations at (517) 316-1195.
Every consultation is private, and there is no obligation. Sharing your story with an experienced attorney is the first step toward holding Father Jan (John) Tyminski, and any institution that protected him, accountable.
Profiles summarize published records and allegations. Inclusion does not constitute a legal finding.