Profile Facts
- Name
- Joseph Smetana
- Role
- Priest
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit
- Order
- OFM Cap
- Ordained
- 1956
- Status
- Accused
- Records
- Diocesan and public records
Survivors who were harmed by Father Joseph Smetana can turn to the clergy sexual abuse lawyers at White Law PLLC. This page outlines the accusations that have been publicly reported against him.
Read on for a summary of Father Smetana’s assignments, the reports made against him, and the paths to justice under Michigan law. Because he is not reported to have died, both criminal prosecution and a civil lawsuit may still be available to survivors.
Sexual Abuse in the Archdiocese of Detroit
Father Smetana’s ministry unfolded in the Archdiocese of Detroit, which is one of Michigan’s seven Catholic dioceses. Statewide, the Church is organized into the Archdiocese of Detroit plus the dioceses of Gaylord, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Marquette, and Saginaw, the system in which Father Smetana ministered.
The Michigan Attorney General’s 2018 investigation into clergy abuse examined files from every diocese in the state, an effort that parallels the public reporting on Father Smetana. Survivors reading reports like these often ask what the diocese knew, a Michigan clergy sexual abuse lawyer can investigate the Archdiocese of Detroit’s records and response regarding Father Smetana.
The Allegations Against Father Joseph Smetana
His Ministry
Father Joseph Smetana, a Capuchin Franciscan friar ordained in 1956, spent 31 years as a priest in Nicaragua.
What the Record Shows
According to published records, Smetana was identified in the June 18, 2013 Report of the Audit and Review of the Files of the Capuchin Province of St. Joseph as a friar with confirmed reports of the sexual abuse of minors. The report gives no additional details about the claims. He was removed from public ministry and lived under supervision; he also appears on the Diocese of La Crosse’s list (January 18, 2020), where he worked at St. Henry in Eau Galle. He has been permanently removed from ministry.
Criminal vs. Civil Sexual Abuse Cases
Survivors of Father Smetana should know that criminal and civil cases are independent of each other. Prosecutors handle criminal charges, which may lead to incarceration, while survivors themselves file civil suits seeking damages, as those harmed by Father Smetana may do.
The Criminal Process
Criminal prosecution, the track that could apply to the allegations against Father Smetana, requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt; penalties can include imprisonment and mandatory registration as a sex offender.
Civil Lawsuits
In civil court, survivors of Father Smetana sue for damages under a preponderance-of-the-evidence standard, a lower bar than in criminal court.
Statute of Limitations on Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases in Michigan
The civil statute of limitations in Michigan (MCL §600.5805) generally allows ten years from the abuse, or until the survivor’s 28th birthday, to bring a claim against Father Smetana.
For first-degree criminal sexual conduct, Michigan imposes no time limit at all. And because trauma and memory loss often delay reporting for years or decades, survivors of Father Smetana should not assume their time has run out, an attorney can evaluate the timeline.
View All Accused Clergy in Michigan
Pursue Justice With Help From White Law PLLC
Survivors may be able to sue him as well as the institutions that employed him, including the Archdiocese of Detroit, if the Church knew or should have known about the danger Father Smetana posed, failed to prevent the abuse, covered it up, or hired and supervised him negligently.
Survivors of Father Smetana may recover compensation for medical and therapy costs, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. White Law PLLC welcomes confidential inquiries at (517) 316-1195.
Profiles summarize published records and allegations. Inclusion does not constitute a legal finding.