The Official Committee of Creditors, which is comprised of seven abuse survivors and advocates on behalf of all Survivors with claims in the Archdiocese of Baltimore bankruptcy, is pleased to report that Judge Harner issued several significant rulings on August 5 that the Committee believes create the strongest opportunity to date for meaningful progress toward a fair resolution.

Although these rulings do not resolve the bankruptcy, they require the Archdiocese to provide greater transparency and improve its proposed bankruptcy plan before it can be presented to creditors for a vote.

Judge Harner’s Rulings

The Court denied the Archdiocese’s request to send its proposed bankruptcy plan to creditors for a vote. This is an important development because the Committee has consistently maintained that the Archdiocese’s proposed plan would have allowed it to shield assets that should instead be available to compensate Survivors.

The Court also ruled that the Archdiocese cannot exclude approximately $74 million in insurance trust funds from the bankruptcy estate. Judge Harner determined that these funds are property of the Archdiocese and must be treated that way in its bankruptcy.

The Court rejected the Archdiocese’s proposal to create an additional class of creditors whose votes could have diluted the significance of Survivors’ votes on any proposed bankruptcy plan.

Finally, Judge Harner concluded that the Archdiocese’s disclosure materials were insufficient. Among other things, the Court found that the Archdiocese failed to adequately explain the nature and value of its assets, the effect of its insurance settlements, and its position regarding critically important youth protection measures intended to safeguard children in the future.

Taken together, these rulings are consistent with many of the positions advanced by the Committee. They also reinforce the protections that the Bankruptcy Code provides to creditors—including Survivors—before they are asked to vote on a plan of reorganization.

Survivors should also know that Judge Harner ruled that the Committee’s proposed plan likewise could not be sent to creditors for a vote. Although the Committee believed its plan was ready to proceed, the Court’s rulings require the Archdiocese to address significant deficiencies in its own proposal. The Committee believes those rulings increase the pressure on the Archdiocese to negotiate a fair resolution and create the best opportunity so far to reach an acceptable plan for Survivors.

What Happens Next?

The Archdiocese must now focus more than ever on negotiating a fair bankruptcy plan with the Committee. Following Judge Harner’s rulings, it is clear that any agreement must provide fair compensation to Survivors based on the full value of the assets properly available in the bankruptcy estate. If the Archdiocese is willing to do this, the Committee is hopeful that negotiations will lead quickly to a new plan proposal that the Committee can support directly. 

In addition, on September 30, the Court is expected to consider whether litigation against the parishes may proceed and whether a limited number of lawsuits against the Archdiocese itself may also move forward. Those proceedings may also give parties another reason to continue negotiating a fair and thorough resolution.

The Committee recognizes that the bankruptcy process has been lengthy and, for many Survivors, emotionally difficult and re-traumatizing. While these recent rulings may look like they could extend the timeline of the case, the Committee is hopeful that they may do just the opposite, because the Court has now made clear that it will require transparency and compliance with the Bankruptcy Code before any plan can move forward. The Committee believes Judge Harner’s rulings significantly improve the prospects for fair compensation and meaningful institutional accountability.

The Committee remains committed to advocating for all Survivors and to working diligently toward a resolution that fairly compensates Survivors, promotes meaningful institutional accountability, and includes measures that help protect children in the future.

If you have general questions about the bankruptcy process or comments for the Official Committee, please email baltimoresurvivorteam@stinson.com. All communications are treated confidentially, and someone will respond.

If you are represented by an attorney, you should direct questions regarding your individual claim to your attorney.

The Committee will continue to update this website as significant developments occur.

The Official Committee of Survivors in the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s bankruptcy remains actively involved in all aspects of this case and provides the following update.

I. Plans of Reorganization

Both the Survivor Committee and the Archdiocese have filed proposed Plans of Reorganization with the Court. A plan of reorganization serves as the roadmap for how the bankruptcy case will ultimately be resolved. It determines what assets will be available to satisfy claims, how those assets will be valued and administered, and how funds will eventually be distributed to survivors and other creditors. Put simply, the plan determines not only how the pie will be divided, but also how large the pie will be.

Each proposed plan is accompanied by a Disclosure Statement. A Disclosure Statement summarizes the key terms of the plan and provides creditors with information about the proposed treatment of claims, available assets, and the process for making distributions. The Court must approve a Disclosure Statement before creditors can vote to accept or reject a plan.

On June 8, 2026, the Court held its first hearing on the competing Disclosure Statements. During that hearing, Judge Harner directed the parties to continue meeting regularly to negotiate and address outstanding issues. The Court also scheduled weekly status conferences to monitor progress. If the necessary issues can be resolved, one or both plans could be finalized and sent to survivors and other creditors for voting as early as August.

If and when that occurs, all survivors who filed claims in this bankruptcy case will receive information and voting materials at the mailing address they provided on their proof of claim.

As part of this process, the parties continue to provide additional information, respond to questions from the Court, and address objections raised to the proposed Disclosure Statements.

In short, the case continues to move forward, but important issues remain unresolved. The Committee understands that survivors want this process to come to an end. It remains committed to maximizing recoveries for survivors while also pursuing meaningful youth protection measures designed to help keep children safe in the future.

II. Relief from the Bankruptcy Stay

On June 1 and 2, 2026, the Court held hearings on two related matters: (1) motions filed by seven survivors seeking permission to continue pursuing their lawsuits outside of bankruptcy, and (2) the Survivor Committee’s request to lift the bankruptcy stay as it applies to parish-related litigation.

The hearings included testimony from the Archdiocese’s insurance attorney, as well as extensive legal arguments from the parties.

Several days later, Judge Harner ruled that she would not grant that relief at this time. As a result, the seven survivors who sought permission to move forward with their cases cannot do so for now, and the stay remains in place with respect to the parish-related issues raised by the Committee.

Importantly, however, the Court also indicated that if the bankruptcy case has not meaningfully progressed by the end of September, it may reconsider whether these lawsuits should be permitted to proceed. While this decision delays further litigation for now, it also increases the pressure on all parties to move toward a resolution in the coming months.

III. “Seek the City to Come” Litigation

The Survivor Committee previously filed litigation concerning the Archdiocese’s Seek the City to Come initiative. The Committee sought greater transparency regarding transactions involving parish property during the bankruptcy case.

The Court ruled that the Archdiocese may continue with the initiative, but it must provide advance notice to the Court before entering into new transactions involving parish property. Those notices must disclose the proposed transaction and its key terms.

As a result, survivors and other parties in interest will have greater visibility into proposed parish property transactions during the bankruptcy process. The Court has indicated that it intends to monitor this process closely. A status conference to review these disclosures and assess how the process is working is scheduled for July 6 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

Survivors who are represented by counsel are encouraged to discuss these developments with their attorneys to better understand how they may affect their individual claims. General questions regarding the bankruptcy process, or comments for the Official Committee, will be treated confidentially and may be sent to baltimoresurvivorteam@stinson.com. All messages will receive a reply.

A jury in Alameda Superior Court (Oakland) found this week that one Survivor deserves to be paid $16 million for abuse he experienced in the Diocese of Oakland. The Survivor was abused by a priest who had previously been arrested for abuse, but was then moved to another post. The same priest had been accused of abuse in several other lawsuits. 

Rick Simons, lead trial attorney for the Survivor commented “This is a case about accountability, it’s about justice. It’s about the Survivor finding his voice and regaining his power. We stand with him on this momentous day.” Jeff Anderson, another attorney representing the Survivor commented “Today’s verdict reflects years of resilience and determination, driven by an unwavering pursuit of truth and justice. This moment belongs not only to the Survivor, but to every survivor who has stood up and spoken up.”  

The Diocese of Oakland is in bankruptcy, but this trial was able to proceed because the bankruptcy stay was lifted to allow a small number of Survivor lawsuits to proceed. Details regarding the case can be viewed via this link. Please be aware that details may be difficult to read and re-traumatizing for some Survivors.  

This result makes clear, once again, that Survivor claims are valid and serious and that the Church and its insurers face very significant financial responsibility for Survivor claims in all Catholic Church bankruptcies. The outcome also reflects the bravery and tenacity of the Survivor who agreed to stand up to the Church and its large insurers, and to face down the most difficult experiences of his life, in order to help other Survivors in the Diocese of Oakland and across the country.