Paul Morantz papers, circa 1970s-2014

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Summary

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.
Extent:
186.63 Linear Feet 256 boxes
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[Box/folder no. or item name], Paul Morantz papers, Collection no. 0346, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

Background

Scope and content:

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.

Biographical / historical:

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.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Paul Morantz, 2014. Gift of Chaz Morantz, December 6, 2022.
Processing information:

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 processed the accrual and updated the finding aid for the collection in 2023.

At the time of History Associates' processing in 2023, Boxes 120, 121, 138, 165, 1-1.5, x, xx, and XX were missing from the collection. The container records for these missing boxes were deleted. However, processing notes were added to records that had been linked to the missing boxes. For example, a folder-level descriptive record that had been linked to "Box xx" would include a processing note stating: "During the initial processing of the collection in 2015, some of the material described in this record was stored in "Box xx." However, "Box xx" was not returned with the rest of the collection following the collection's deaccessioning in 2016 and subsequent return to USC in 2022.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Advance notice required for access.

Terms of access:

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.

Preferred citation:

[Box/folder no. or item name], Paul Morantz papers, Collection no. 0346, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

Location of this collection:
Special Collections
Doheny Memorial Library, Room 209
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0189, US
Contact:
(213) 740-5900
specol@usc.edu
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