Collection Guide
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Morantz (Paul) papers
0346
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Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Title: Paul Morantz papers
Identifier/Call Number: 0346
Identifier/Call Number: /repositories/3/resources/2306
Physical Description:
186.63 Linear Feet
256 boxes
Date (inclusive): circa 1970s-2014
Abstract: Collection consists of the casefiles, correspondence, ephemera, and recordings of USC alumnus and California attorney, Paul
Morantz (1945-2002). Paul Morantz (1945-2022) was an American attorney who specialized in litigating against cults, and self-help
groups raising the issue of brainwashing.
Language of Material:
English
.
Paul Morantz (1945-2022) was an American attorney who specialized in litigating against cults, and self-help groups raising
the issue of brainwashing. He also specialized in suing psychotherapists and religious leaders for dual relationship violations
and undue influence of their clients/followers. His successful prosecution of Synanon led to an attempt against his life by
means of a rattlesnake placed in his mailbox.
Collection consists of the casefiles, correspondence, ephemera, and recordings of USC alumnus and California attorney, Paul
Morantz (1945-2002). Materials represent Morantz's extensive career litigating against various cults, self-help organizations,
and psychotherapists. Casefiles for Golden State Manor Convalescent Hospital, Synanon Foundation, Church of Scientology, Center
for Feeling Therapy, Peoples Temple, Parkview Christian Church, and Unification Church are represented in the collection.
Advance notice required for access.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
Finding aid description and metadata are licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Department of Special
Collections at specol@usc.edu. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical
items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Paul Morantz, 2014. Gift of Chaz Morantz, December 6, 2022.
Church of Scientology: Collection of Material Related to the Church of Scientology (Collection 1133). UCLA Library Special
Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library.
Peoples Temple: Peoples Temple Records, MA 3800, California Historical Society.
Synanon Foundation records, ca. 1956-1987 (Collection 0342). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library.
[Box/folder no. or item name], Paul Morantz papers, Collection no. 0346, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of
Southern California.
Michael Hooks processed the majority of the Paul Morantz papers in 2015. In 2016, the USC Libraries deaccessioned the Paul
Morantz papers and returned the entire collection to Paul Morantz. In December of 2022, following the death of Paul Morantz,
Chaz Morantz (Paul's son) re-donated the collection--including materials that were not fully processed in 2015--to the USC
Libraries Special Collections. Sarah Jardini and Marissa Chavez of History Associates Incorporated proccessed the accrual
and updated the finding aid for the collection in 2023.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Social service
Psychology
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- Archival resources
Audiotapes
California, Southern -- Archival resources
Sociology
Hospitals -- California -- Los Angeles County -- Archival resources
Alcoholism -- Treatment -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
Brainwashing -- History -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Brainwashing -- Case studies -- Archival resources
Cults and new religions -- Archival resources
Cults -- Case studies -- Archival resources
Cults -- California -- History -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Cults -- Psychological aspects -- Archival resources
Cults -- United States -- Case studies -- Archival resources
Cults -- United States -- History -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Cults -- Law and legislation -- Archival resources
Nursing home patients -- Abuse of -- California -- Archival resources
Nursing home patients -- Drug use -- United States -- Archival resources
Nursing home patients -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- United States -- Archival resources
Psychotherapy patients -- Abuse of -- Case studies -- Archival resources
Synanon (Foundation) -- Archives
Dederich, Chuck -- Archives
Church of Scientology International -- Archives
Peoples Temple -- Archives
Center for Feeling Therapy -- Archives
Unification Church -- Archives
International Society for Krishna Consciousness -- Archives
Moon, Sun Myung -- Archives