Profile Facts
- Name
- Michael W. Kuchar
- Role
- Priest
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lansing
- Ordained
- 1980
- Status
- Accused
- Records
- Diocesan and public records
It takes courage to speak about abuse by a member of the clergy. The clergy sexual abuse lawyers at White Law PLLC offer confidential consultations to Michigan survivors who want to understand their rights.
This page summarizes the reported allegations against Father Michael W. Kuchar, a priest of the Diocese of Lansing who retired to senior priest status in 2018. According to the Michigan Attorney General’s December 2024 Lansing report, multiple complaints accused him of sexually abusing boys. The details below come from published diocesan records. These are accusations; the diocesan review board found insufficient evidence to determine the truth of at least one allegation. Survivors may still explore civil options with White Law PLLC.
Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Lansing
The Diocese of Lansing is one of seven dioceses in Michigan, along with the Archdiocese of Detroit and the dioceses of Saginaw, Marquette, Grand Rapids, Gaylord, and Kalamazoo. The Attorney General’s investigation, begun in 2018, released its Lansing report in December 2024, describing years of complaints about Father Kuchar, including reports that reached the bishop directly. A Michigan clergy sexual abuse lawyer can help survivors understand what the report means for a civil claim.
When complaints about a priest accumulate over years and little changes, the diocese’s inaction can itself become the basis for institutional liability in a civil lawsuit.
The Allegations Against Father Michael W. Kuchar
Years of Complaints
Published records indicate that Michael W. Kuchar was ordained in 1980 and retired to senior priest status in June 2018. According to the Michigan Attorney General’s December 2024 Diocese of Lansing report, there were several complaints over the years of Kuchar behaving in unwanted and sexually inappropriate ways toward adults, male and female.
In August 2018, someone reported to Bishop Boyea that a friend’s adult son said Kuchar had molested him as a young boy; the alleged victim did not want to come forward. In September 2018, a priest told the bishop he had heard that a man recently disclosed childhood abuse by Kuchar, possibly the same young man. Also in September 2018, the diocesan victims assistance coordinator interviewed the mother of an alleged victim, who said her son told her and her husband in 2009 that Kuchar raped him in 1995 or 1996 at age 13 or 14. The mother said she told another priest about it, but nothing was done because her son would not come forward, and that a friend suspected Kuchar had also abused her son.
Investigation and Review Board Finding
In a November 2018 interview, the alleged victim told the Attorney General’s investigator that Kuchar sexually assaulted him twice during his eighth-grade year at St. Therese. There was no prosecution due to the statute of limitations. In July 2020, the diocesan review board found insufficient evidence to determine the truth of the allegation. These remain accusations, and Father Kuchar’s current status should be confirmed with the diocese, but survivors can still seek legal advice about civil claims.
Criminal vs. Civil Sexual Abuse Cases
Abuse by clergy can trigger both criminal and civil proceedings, and survivors should understand the difference. Criminal cases are prosecuted by the state, require proof beyond a reasonable doubt, and aim to punish. Civil cases are filed by survivors, require proof by a preponderance of the evidence, and aim to compensate.
Criminal Prosecution
Prosecutors decide whether to file charges. In Father Kuchar’s case, no prosecution occurred because of the statute of limitations, which shows how criminal deadlines can close before survivors are ready to come forward.
Civil Lawsuits
Civil lawsuits are controlled by the survivor and can proceed even when criminal charges were never filed or were barred by time limits. They may name the priest and the diocese, particularly where the church received repeated complaints and failed to act.
Statute of Limitations on Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases in Michigan
Under Michigan Legislature §600.5805, civil sexual abuse claims must generally be filed within ten years of the abuse or before the survivor turns 28, whichever is later. Michigan imposes no time limit on first-degree criminal sexual conduct prosecutions.
The Kuchar reports illustrate why deadlines are so difficult for survivors: alleged victims and their families told priests, bishops, and diocesan staff about abuse, yet years passed without resolution. Trauma, fear, and institutional indifference all delay justice. An attorney can assess whether a particular claim remains timely.
View All Accused Clergy in Michigan
Pursue Justice With Help From White Law PLLC
A civil lawsuit may provide compensation for therapy and medical expenses, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. Claims can be brought against the priest and against the diocese or institution where leaders knew or should have known of the abuse, failed to prevent it, covered it up, or failed to properly screen, train, and supervise clergy.
White Law PLLC represents Michigan clergy abuse survivors in confidential consultations. Call (517) 316-1195 to discuss your situation.
Profiles summarize published records and allegations. Inclusion does not constitute a legal finding.