ROCHESTER (NY)
Catholic Courier – Diocese of Rochester
May 19, 2020
By Mike Latona
The deadline for filing proofs of claim in the Diocese of Rochester’s federal bankruptcy case remains Aug. 13, 2020, and is not subject to a recent extension of New York state’s Child Victims Act through January 2021.
On Feb. 25, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Paul R. Warren set the Aug. 13 deadline — known as the “bar date” — for claims to be filed against the Rochester Diocese. That date coincides with the original end of a one-year window established by the Child Victims Act for the filing of sexual-abuse claims that previously were prohibited by statutes of limitations. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the CVA into law in early 2019.
The governor announced May 8 that he was extending the one-year CVA window until Jan. 14, 2021, due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. He said resulting limitations in court services have hampered claimants’ abilities to file claims and effectively consult with attorneys in a timely fashion.
An attorney representing the unsecured creditors’ committee in the Rochester Diocese’s bankruptcy case cited similar concerns in an April 13 statement filed with the bankruptcy court. However, diocesan spokesman Doug Mandelaro noted that federal bankruptcy courts have remained active throughout the pandemic and that the electronic claims process has continued without interruption.
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