GUAM
Pacific Daily News
Haidee V Eugenio, heugenio@guampdn.com July 28, 2017
A federal judge on Friday agreed to temporarily halt proceedings in dozens of clergy sex abuse lawsuits so they can instead go through an out-of-court settlement process, scheduled to take place from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3.
U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Joaquin V.E. Manibusan granted attorney David Lujan’s motion for a stay, pending arbitration of the cases.
“We progressed tremendously from the last hearing to today’s hearing,” Lujan told the judge during a hearing Friday morning.
Lujan said some of his clients are now in their 70s, so time is of the essence to resolve the cases.
Lujan and attorney John C. Terlaje, general counsel for the Archdiocese of Agana, told Manibusan that retired U.S. District Court Judge of Oregon Michael Hogan has agreed to serve as mediator, and will be on island for the mediation.
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