BATON ROUGE — At least five lawsuits filed in state court just before a previous deadline for claims under Louisiana's "lookback law" are still pending between five people who say they were abused by Catholic priests assigned to the Diocese of Baton Rouge. 

Lawmakers this year extended the deadline for people to file claims for abuse they say they suffered as children. Before the legislature took action, the lookback window would have closed in June.

The Advocate reported on two cases Saturday; East Baton Rouge Parish court records show at least five lawsuits pending. Also, five previous cases filed in January were dismissed in June; information on whether there was some sort of agreement involving those was not disclosed in the court records.

The Diocese of Baton Rouge said Saturday it was "unable to offer any comment at this time regarding pending litigation."

Court records show the lawsuits still pending were filed between June 10 and June 13 and paperwork was served on defendants as recently as last week. The previous deadline to file a lawsuit was June 14, but the statute of limitations has been extended to 2027. 

The state Supreme Court earlier this year had voided the lookback window, saying the law was unfair to perpetrators of childhood sexual abuse by voiding their "vested rights." Justices later reconsidered that decision, then reversed it. The court had to weigh who had the right to set time limits for filing lawsuits, the courts or lawmakers.

A previous constitution set limits, but the current one does not.

The recent lawsuits still pending were filed anonymously by four men and one woman and include the names of Rodrigue Alphones Hemond and Christopher Springer, clergy members whom the diocese previously identified as being on a list of those facing credible allegations of sexual abuse. The court has not yet certified the names of others accused.

All of the alleged abuse began when the victims were between ages 10 and 13.