District Court Suggests Different Judge As Mediator for Sex Abuse Cases

By Jolene Toves
Pacific News Center
August 25, 2017

http://pacificnewscenter.com/district-court-suggest-mediator-for-sex-abuse-cases-against-archdiocese/

A global settlement was also suggested but Attorney David Lujan argued against it.

Guam – Talks of a Global Settlement and a different federal judge to mediate the process were the highlights of Friday’s hearing regarding the sexual abuse lawsuits filed against the Archdiocese.

District Court Chief Judge Francis Tydingco-Gatewood suggested in court that all parties consider utilizing a sitting federal judge such as Chief Judge Alex Munson instead of hiring private mediator Retired Federal Judge Thomas Hogan, which could possibly cost up to $10,000 a day.

At this time, a meeting to finalize the mediation process to be used is scheduled for September 4 in Honolulu, followed by a meeting with Hogan. Judge Tydingco-Gatewood has given all parties until September 12 to notify the court if they would like Munson to oversee the mediation.

Also discussed was the possibility of a global settlement.

“Because of the nature of the case, seeing the many plaintiffs that there are, the many defendants that there are, that there is a hope that there would be some form of global settlement, but this is all very prospective and potential, not something that is set in stone whatsoever,” said Attorney Jacque Terlaje, who represents Archbishop Anthony Apuron.

But Attorney David Lujan, who represents a majority of the clients, says a global settlement is not a viable option, stating, “each client’s injury is different from other clients so you can’t just get a number then split it up a hundred times. You can’t.”