Diocese of Rochester

Representation of the creditors’ committee for the Diocese of Rochester, the first New York diocese to file a bankruptcy after New York state passed a one-year window under the civil statute of limitations for child sexual abuse. The chapter 11 case involves unique issues of the interplay between the automatic stay protecting the Diocese and a statute-of-limitations window that provides a fixed period of time for commencing cases against affiliated nondebtor entities.

On May 23, 2022, the Court denied the debtor’s attempt to stay litigation against affiliated nondebtor entities over the committee’s objection. Five months after that decision, the committee and debtor reached a deal and the Committee-Debtor Joint Disclosure Statement and Plan was approved to be sent to creditors for voting on April 29, 2024.