NEW MEXICO
Gallup Independent

Published in the Gallup Independent, Gallup, N.M., March 2, 2016

By Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Independent correspondent
religion@gallupindependent.com

ALBUQUERQUE – The Diocese of Gallup’s bankruptcy case continues to be marked by a series of delays.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge David T. Thuma’s goal of seeing the Gallup Diocese file its plan of reorganization Monday failed to materialize after a status conference Friday was canceled and rescheduled for Tuesday.

A few weeks ago, the diocese’s own goal of filing its reorganization plan in early February became a casualty of a dispute between two other parties in the case — attorneys for Catholic Mutual, the diocese’s current insurer, and Michael P. Murphy, the former future claims representative who resigned his position.

During a brief court hearing Tuesday, Thomas Walker, a diocesan attorney, explained the latest delay was caused by the illness of the diocese’s lead bankruptcy attorney.

“We…