The Catholic Diocese of Spokane, Wash., can take its legal malpractice claim to trial against a law firm that handled its 2007 bankruptcy over priest sex abuse claims, a federal bankruptcy judge ruled, the Associated Press. The decision on Wednesday means former Spokane bishop Blase Cupich, who now serves as archbishop of Chicago, will likely have to testify in February about his decision to seek $3.6 million in legal fees from the Paine Hamblen law firm. Bishop Cupich contends that Paine Hamblen lawyers underestimated how many victims would come forward with sex abuse claims after the bankruptcy was first resolved. A $1 million fund was created to handle future claims, based on Paine Hamblen's estimates of how much it would cost the diocese to settle the allegations. But the fund was quickly depleted, raising the prospect of foreclosure on some Catholic parishes that had been put up as collateral. In documents submitted to the court, Bishop Cupich said he believed Paine Hamblen bungled the bankruptcy. The bankruptcy was settled before Bishop Cupich became bishop of Spokane.
