Survivors of clergy sexual abuse will have the opportunity to address the court during two upcoming hearings in the Archdiocese of Baltimore bankruptcy case, a judge ruled on Thursday.
In an order, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Michelle M. Harner wrote that the court will hold status conferences on April 8 and May 20 for the sole purpose of increasing “engagement and understanding” in the case. The judge said no statements at those hearings will be considered evidence or made part of the record.
The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors had asked the judge to block out time for survivors to address the court on those dates, noting that they might otherwise have “no opportunity to be heard regarding the terrible and life-altering events they experienced as children.”
Archbishop William Lori, the church reported in court documents that endorsed the request, will personally attend the court proceedings.
The Archdiocese of Baltimore filed for bankruptcy in 2023, right before a new law that would have opened the church to a flood of lawsuits was set to take effect in Maryland.
The development also came after the Maryland Office of the Attorney General released a more than 450-page report detailing allegations of decades of sexual abuse and cover-up within the first Catholic diocese in the United States.
Survivors have until May 31 to file claims in the bankruptcy case.
