Judge Orders Milwaukee Archdiocese to Start Settlement Talks with Creditors

WTAQ
May 3, 2012

http://wtaq.com/news/articles/2012/may/03/judge-orders-milwaukee-archdiocese-to-start-settlement-talks-with-creditors/


MILWAUKEE (WTAQ) - A bankruptcy judge ordered the Milwaukee Catholic Archdiocese Thursday to begin what she called "meaningful settlement negotiations" with the church's creditors.

And depending how those talks go, Judge Susan Kelley said she might bring in a mediator to hammer out agreements as early as June.

Kelley ordered the talks during a status conference Thursday into the Chapter 7 bankruptcy case the Milwaukee Archdiocese filed more than a year ago.

On another issue, Kelley said she would consider a public release of at least some of the depositions given by former Milwaukee Archbishop Rembert Weakland and retired Auxiliary Bishop Richard Sklba.

Attorneys for abuse victims say the public release would disclose the extent of the priest sex abuse that took place over the last half-century.

Kelley said the depositions would have names blacked out so victims are not identified. Suspected abusers who have not been previously identified would not have their names come out, either.