New Orleans clergy abuse survivors begin voting on church bankruptcy deal

Claimants can accept or reject Catholic archdiocese's plan to settle in two-month period before November hearing

A two-month voting period for clergy abuse survivors and other creditors in the New Orleans Catholic archdiocese's bankruptcy to accept or reject the church's plan to settle has started after a federal bankruptcy judge recently approved the plan.

It has also opened a window of time when supporters and opponents of the plan can actively solicit votes. Two-thirds of the voting claimants must approve the plan for the church to end its expensive and contentious five-year-long bankruptcy. Judge Meredith Grabill has stated that if the plan is not approved, she will dismiss the archdiocese's bankruptcy, and the church could end up having to defend itself against claims individually in state courts.