The Latest: Dismissed NFL suit cited in 2 sex abuse defenses

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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Latest on lawyers for the Catholic Church citing the Louisiana Supreme Court's dismissal of a lawsuit against the NFL in efforts to end lawsuits against the church over sexual abuse (all times local):

4 p.m.

For the second time this week, Catholic Church attorneys fighting sex abuse lawsuits against the church are trying to bolster their cases by citing the Louisiana Supreme Court's recent dismissal of a lawsuit over officiating at an NFL playoff game.

Archdiocese of New Orleans attorneys first made the argument Tuesday in a case involving alleged abuse by a defrocked deacon. They cited the state Supreme Court's Sept. 6 finding that courts have no role in a sports league's enforcement of its own rules. They argued that the same reasoning should apply to religious entities enforcing their rules.

On Friday, they made a similar argument in a separate ongoing lawsuit involving a former priest. In both cases, lower courts have refused to dismiss the suits.