Victims of sexual abuse by the Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore are seeing another unexpected delay in their attempt to get funds from the church for their suffering.
The federal government shutdown is causing a pause in bankruptcy cases because the U.S. Trustee Program is no longer staffed.
The Trustee Program is a branch of the Justice Department that is “responsible for overseeing the administration of bankruptcy cases and private trustees,” according to the Justice Department. “It has broad administrative, regulatory, and litigation/enforcement authorities whose mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders–debtors, creditors, and the public.”
Acting U.S. Trustee for Region 5 David W. Asbach wrote to the court stating that the case needed to be paused.
“Although we greatly regret any disruption caused to the Court and the other litigants, the United States Trustee hereby moves for a stay all proceedings related to, including the deadline for responding to, the Motion, until Department of Justice attorneys are permitted to resume their usual civil litigation functions,” Asbach wrote.
The stoppage is just another hurdle for victims in their decades-long battle against the Church.
It’s been two years since the Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore filed for bankruptcy, forcing it to take account of its assets and file insurance claims to eventually pay survivors who were abused as children by clergy and staff.
The church attempted to invalidate abuse cases through archaic laws and constitutional challenges.
One survivor wrote about their frustration to U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Michelle Harner in August.
“What started as a positive situation as the rust of a newly enacted law by the Maryland legislature years ago has developed into what one might describe as a circus,” the survivor wrote. “Who do the victims believe and what can they believe? Especially when there is almost complete secrecy surrounding this case.”
Theresa Lancaster, a lawyer representing victims, said the survivors are feeling the delays.
“They're not used to waiting so long,” she said “They've been treated like crap the entire time. So it's pretty low. Morale is low.”
In September, creditors representing the survivors of child abuse by the Baltimore Catholic Archdiocese asked Harder to dismiss the Church’s bankruptcy case after more than a year of failed mediation.
If approved, Harner would scrap the Church’s request for Chapter 11 and then the organization would be liable for any lawsuits that have been or will be filed against it.
