Profile Facts
- Name
- William R. Taylor
- Role
- Priest
- Diocese
- Diocese of Saginaw
- Ordained
- 1967
- Status
- Accused
- Died
- 7/13/2020
- Records
- Diocesan and public records
The clergy sexual abuse lawyers at White Law PLLC help survivors of Father William R. Taylor pursue accountability. This page compiles the publicly reported allegations against him.
Read on for a summary of Father Taylor’s assignments, the reports made against him, and the paths to justice under Michigan law. He died on 7/13/2020, so he is no longer alive for anyone to pursue criminal charges against him, but a civil case against his estate or the institutions involved may still be possible.
Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Saginaw
Father Taylor’s ministry unfolded in the Diocese of Saginaw, which is one of Michigan’s seven Catholic dioceses. Michigan’s seven dioceses are the Archdiocese of Detroit and the Dioceses of Gaylord, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Marquette, and Saginaw, the statewide backdrop to the reports against Father Taylor.
After the Attorney General opened a clergy-abuse investigation in 2018, diocesan files across Michigan came under official review, scrutiny of the type that documented the allegations against Father Taylor. That investigation revealed how abuse was hidden for decades; a Michigan clergy sexual abuse lawyer can evaluate whether the Diocese of Saginaw knew or should have known about Father Taylor.
The Allegations Against Father William R. Taylor
Where He Served
Father William R. Taylor was ordained in 1967 for the Diocese of Saginaw and retired in 2007. He died on July 13, 2020.
What a Survivor Reported
According to the Michigan Attorney General’s June 25, 2026 report on the Diocese of Saginaw, a man alleged in 2021 that Taylor sexually abused him when he was a 13-year-old altar boy in 1965 at St. Mary’s in Saginaw. The man said Taylor took him into a storage room at the church, showed him how to masturbate, then made the boy do it while Taylor watched and rubbed his own genital area outside his clothing. The accuser said it happened three times and may also have happened to a few other boys. The Diocesan Review Board determined there was insufficient evidence to deem the allegations credible. Published accounts of Father Taylor notes both the 2021 allegation and the review board’s credibility finding.
Criminal vs. Civil Sexual Abuse Cases
Survivors of Father Taylor should know that criminal and civil cases are independent of each other. A criminal case is brought by the state and can result in prison time; a civil case is filed by the survivor and seeks financial compensation, the two tracks available after abuse by Father Taylor.
Criminal Cases
A criminal conviction punishes the offender with potential prison time, but it does not directly compensate survivors of Father Taylor.
Filing a Civil Case
The civil system exists to make survivors whole, including survivors of Father Taylor, awarding damages even when no criminal case was ever filed.
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 Taylor.
No time limit applies to first-degree criminal sexual conduct charges in Michigan. Since trauma and memory loss commonly push disclosure years into the future, survivors of Father Taylor should get counsel before concluding a case is too old.
View All Accused Clergy in Michigan
Pursue Justice With Help From White Law PLLC
A civil claim can target both his estate and responsible institutions. The Diocese of Saginaw may face liability if it knew or should have known of the risk yet failed to stop Father Taylor, concealed reports, or screened and trained its clergy poorly.
Damages in cases against Father Taylor can include medical and therapy expenses, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. To discuss a potential claim, contact White Law PLLC at (517) 316-1195.
Profiles summarize published records and allegations. Inclusion does not constitute a legal finding.