A federal bankruptcy-court judge in Minnesota has ruled that the
Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis is not responsible for the $355,000
in legal fees incurred by sex-abuse victims who had sought to include
the resources of Catholic parishes and schools in the accounting of
archdiocesan assets available to creditors.
Under the terms of a proposed bankruptcy agreement, the archdiocese
is responsible for legal fees associated with the case.
But the
archdiocese is not responsible for the fees incurred during the
unsuccessful appeal, Judge Robert Kessel ruled.
Legal fees in the bankruptcy case have already run over $10 million.
The judge authorized the payment of some fees, and said that a further
accounting would be made when the plan for reorganization of the
archdiocesan finances is approved.