Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Fr. Jack Leipert

This page outlines the assignments, credible allegations of child sexual abuse, and institutional actions involving Fr. Jack Leipert, as part of the Injury Lawyer Team’s legal representation of Michigan clergy abuse survivors. 

• Primary Entity Name: Jack Leipert
• Common Variations / Aliases: Fr. Jack J. Leipert, Father Jack Leipert, Jack J. Leipert
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Assistant Pastor, Pastor, Temporary Administrator, Temporary Pastor
• Current Status: Laicized

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Fr. Jack Leipert was publicly listed as a credibly accused priest by the Diocese of Saginaw and the Diocese of Superior. The allegations involved both sexual abuse against minors and adults. He was not convicted of any crime, but was permanently removed from ministry and laicized. 

• Entity that Listed Him: Diocese of Saginaw, Diocese of Superior, Vatican (laicized)
• Reason for Listing: Substantiated and credible allegations of sexual abuse, including sexual abuse of an adult. 

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1975

Years in Active Ministry: 1975–2001

Locations Where He Served: Diocese of Saginaw, Diocese of Superior (temporary administrator)

Restrictions: Permanently removed from ministry in 2001

Laicization: 2006

Public Disclosure: Named in the Diocese of Saginaw list of credibly accused priests

Assignment History

Primary Diocese: Diocese of Saginaw

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

• Diocese of Superior (1972)
• St. Stanislaus Kostka — Bay City, MI (June 1975–July 1977)
• Our Lady of the Visitation — Bay City, MI (July 1977–July 1978)
• St. Philip Neri — Coleman, MI (July 1982–July 1985)
• St. Anne — Edenville, MI (July 1978–Nov. 1978)
• St. John the Baptist — Standish, MI (Nov. 1978–Jan. 1979)
• Ss. Peter & Paul — Saginaw, MI (Jan. 1979–July 1979)
• Our Lady of Perpetual Help — Chesaning, MI (July 1979–July 1982)
• St. Henry — Rosebush, MI (July 1982–July 1985)
• St. Charles — Leaton, MI (July 1982–July 1985)
• St. Elizabeth — Marlette, MI (July 1985–Aug. 1987)
• Leave of Absence (Aug. 1987–Aug. 1989)
• Our Lady of Mt. Carmel — Saginaw (Aug. 1989–July 1990)
• Sacred Heart — Bad Axe, MI (July 1990–Jan. 2001)

Known Allegations

The Diocese of Saginaw listed Fr. Jack Leipert on its 2018 list of credibly accused priests in connection with sexual abuse of minors. However, there are no publicly available reports regarding incidents involving children. 

The most notable allegation concerned a 21-year-old male in Caseville, MI, who was involved in an incident in November 2000. At this time, Fr. Leipert was serving at the Sacred Heart Church. According to the survivor’s report, Fr. Leipert approached him at a Bad Axe gas station and asked if he would be willing to perform some handyman work. 

The man agreed. He later returned to Leipert’s home with him, where Leipert claimed that he needed assistance with peeling wallpaper. While the man was examining the home, Leipert touched his rear and grabbed his crotch. 

Leipert later called the victim to offer him money for having visited on November 7th and invited him to dinner. The man hung up on him. 

Police investigated the claims, including requesting that the victim record a conversation with Leipert to secure a confession. However, the prosecutor’s office determined that there was insufficient evidence to pursue a criminal case. 

Summary: Father Jack J. Leipert was credibly accused of sexually abusing an adult, with public records stating that he also abused minors; he was removed from ministry and laicized. 

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods:

• Bishop Joseph Alwardt — Diocese of Lansing (when Leipert was a temporary admin)
• Bishop Francis Frederick Reh — Diocese of Saginaw
• Bishop Kenneth Edward Untener — Diocese of Saginaw

Institutional Actions and Review

The 2000 allegation was reported to the Bad Axe Police Department, which initiated an investigation into the incident in coordination with the Huron County Sheriff’s Office. The police attempted to secure a confession from Leipert through recorded conversations with the victim, but Leipert only said he was “sorry for what happened.” 

Detectives then sent an undercover agent, who was not able to secure a confession. Huron County Prosecutor Mark J. Gaertner wrote a letter to the complainant, stating that while there was enough evidence for an initial criminal charge, the prosecutor’s office did not feel the case was strong enough to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. Gaertner later transferred to Saginaw County and has been involved with investigating the Diocese of Saginaw, which was Leipert’s parish. 

Leipert was permanently removed from ministry in 2001, shortly after the incident. He was laicized in 2006 and banned from presenting himself as a priest. 

The Diocese of Lansing included him on a list of accused clergy in Michigan in 2018, with the Diocese of Superior also acknowledging that he briefly worked for the diocese. Records show he is currently residing in Indiana. 

The Michigan Department of Attorney General initiated a review into the seven Michigan dioceses begin in 2018, and the police executed a search warrant on Diocese of Saginaw properties at that time. Public reports mention that almost 60 documents were seized, though there is no mention of records pertaining to Jack Leipert. 

While the Attorney General has released reports on five dioceses, reports related to the Diocese of Superior and Diocese of Saginaw are not yet publicly available. 

Timeline

1972 — Worked as a temporary administrator at the Diocese of Superior, prior to ordination

1975 — Ordained in the Diocese of Saginaw

1975–2001 — Held parish assignments in the Diocese of Saginaw

2000 — Alleged sexual abuse against an adult, occurring at Leipert’s home

2000 — Incident is reported, but prosecutors decline to pursue charges

2001 — Permanently removed from ministry

2006 — Laicized by the Vatican

2018 — Included on the Diocese of Saginaw’s list of credibly accused priests

Speak With an Attorney

If you or someone you know was sexually abused by Jack J. Leipert or another Michigan clergy member, you may have a legal claim. Injury Lawyer Team represents survivors of clergy sexual abuse throughout the state and recognizes the sensitive nature of these claims. Contact a Michigan clergy abuse attorney for a confidential consultation about your legal options. 

Sources

This page is based on public records, official Church disclosures, and survivor reports, including the following:

• The Diocese of Saginaw’s list of clergy accused of sexual abuse of a minor, which lists Fr. Jack Leipert.
• An article on MLive.com detailing the allegations against Fr. Leipert, including documentation from the Bad Axe Police Department.
• The Diocese of Superior’s list of abusive clergy, which includes Fr. Jack Leipert.
• An article from the Huron Daily Tribune, which describes the allegations against Fr. Jack Leipert and the institutional response. 

No criminal conviction is implied unless explicitly stated in public court records or official Church reports.

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.