Court order confirms claims deadline and forms for archdiocesan reorganization

The judge overseeing the Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization of the Archdiocese of Baltimore issued an order Jan. 16 that approved a May 31 deadline for claims to be submitted, along with the form to be used by those who wish to make a claim for damages relating to sexual abuse of a minor by clergy or other personnel in the archdiocese. 

Michelle M. Harner’s order also approved a supplemental form that provides details of the alleged abuse, as well as procedures to enable claimants to file confidentially, if they wish. 

The claim form and other details are posted on the archdiocesan website at archbalt.org.

In a hearing Jan. 12 to discuss the claim form, Harner said the questions on the supplemental form are designed to elicit the information needed by the court as well as attorneys for the archdiocese as the debtor and for insurance companies that will participate in the settlement discussions. 

She said a claimant who puts one-word answers to questions on the supplemental form may have “completed the form,” but not provided enough information for the claim to be considered valid.

The January hearing, conducted via teleconference, included some dialogue between attorneys representing insurers and the creditors’ committee over wording on the forms, including information on keeping information on claim forms confidential, other than information that is already in the public record.

Harner said Jan. 12 she would move quickly to approve the form once she received final revisions suggested by all the parties, so that victim-survivors could start filing claims. “The debtor shares the court’s concerns to get this done,” she said. The order was issued on the next business day, given that Jan. 15 was a federal holiday.

Blake Roth, an attorney from Holland & Knight who represents the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Baltimore as the debtor in the case, said after a Dec. 18 hearing, that selection of the bar date is a question of balancing between giving claimants enough time to file for compensation with the archdiocese’s ability to move forward with the continuation of its ministry. He said the deadline is helpful for the archdiocese and insurance companies to know the “universe of survivors.”

Roth said the soonest that serious negotiations to determine the size of the settlement could begin would be about eight weeks after the bar date.

After the Dec. 18 hearing, members of the creditors committee and their attorneys met later that day with Archbishop William E. Lori to begin discussions.

Now that the order has been issued and the claims forms have been approved, the archdiocese must meet certain communication requirements, which include asking parishes, archdiocesan schools and organizations to assist in notifying potential claimants. 

According to a communication in December to pastors, school presidents and principals from Christian Kendzierski, executive director of communications for the archdiocese, the archdiocese will be required to share information about the claim form and deadline via television and print media advertising and social media posts. 

“These requirements ensure that the organization in the Chapter 11 process is informing its constituencies and the public that it has filed for Chapter 11 and that there is a finite period during which claims must be filed,” Kendzierski said.

Parishes, schools and other affiliated organizations will be asked to do their own outreach.

To view more information about filing a claim, visit: https://www.archbalt.org/filing-a-sexual-abuse-claim/

Email Christopher Gunty at editor@catholicreview.org.

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