The Roman Catholic Diocese of Gallup, N.M., has asked a federal judge for an additional eight months under bankruptcy court protection to continue negotiations with more than 100 individuals who allege they were sexually abused by clergy members, Dow Jones Daily Bankruptcy Review reported today. The church's exclusivity period, during which sexual-abuse claimants or others are barred from filing their own reorganization proposals, is set to expire Sept. 8. Citing a plan to begin mediation in the fall, the diocese asked Judge David Thuma of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Albuquerque, N.M., to extend that period through May 12, 2015, giving it time to reach a settlement with victims and file a plan to exit bankruptcy without interference from outsiders.
