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	Soens Lawsuit Put on Hold Sioux City Journal [Davenport IA] October 28, 2006 http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2006/10/27/news_living/ local/afd75905b0dfd4f98625721300803100.txt Pending lawsuits filed against the Diocese of Davenport by victims of sexual abuse by priests will be put on hold while the diocese goes through Chapter 11 bankruptcy, a judge and attorneys say. District Judge Charles H. Pelton and attorneys representing the victims and former Bishop Lawrence Soens of the Sioux City Diocese agreed at a hearing last Friday that it would be pointless to proceed to trial. The case victim Michael Gould filed against the diocese and Soens was set for trial last Monday. "It doesn't make sense to us to present this case twice," said Patrick Noaker, one of Gould's attorneys, referring to the possibility of one trial involving Soens and a later trial for the diocese. Pelton said that none of the cases against the diocese can go to trial with the bankruptcy pending. He asked the attorneys to prepare a motion to continue or stay the cases until a later date. A ruling will be made by today, he said. Soens and his attorney, Tim Bottaro of Sioux City, met with Gould and his attorneys last Friday to discuss a possible settlement, but no agreement was reached. Pelton has instructed the parties to continue discussions. Dustin Lemmon can be contacted at (563) 383-2493 or dlemmon@qctimes.com
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