A survivor of alleged child sex abuse said she is thankful her case is moving forward following a recent court ruling that will allow 17 cases filed against the Diocese of Buffalo to proceed.

The 17 “test cases” are among hundreds that were filed in state court as a result of the Child Victims Act. The Diocese asked its federal bankruptcy court judge to keep those cases on hold for further mediation. But Judge Bucki wrote in his 16-page decision “(T)he parties have had ample opportunity to work for a resolution. With each passing day, the lack of settlement suggests the need to try a different approach. Litigated disputes are often settled on the courthouse steps. By pushing litigants closer to a trial of tort claims, we hope that the parties may better appreciate their risks and the benefits of a consensual plan.”

“This has happened in the Catholic Diocese…