This week, the Diocese of Stockton asked the bankruptcy court to extend by six months the periods for filing a reorganization plan and for creditors to accept the plan. If the motion is granted, a plan would be due prior to Nov. 14, 2014 and acceptance by the creditors committee would have a deadline of Jan. 13, 2015. If approved, these dates could be changed later.
Extensions of this type are common in bankruptcy cases as the parties begin to meet and learn more about the scope of work to be done.
In this case, the Diocese is seeking the extensions in order to accommodate other key events in the process. A mediation session between the Diocese and the Creditors Committee is scheduled for late April, shortly before the original plan-filing deadline in May.
In a previous motion, the Diocese asked the court to allow victims of sexual abuse until August 15 to file a claim – a date that falls beyond the original period in which a plan was to be filed and accepted.
In another scheduling change, the court has changed the date for hearings on a pair of motions from April 30 to May 1. These motions would establish the “bar dates” (i.e. deadlines) for the submission of various types of claims and would establish a “future claims representative” to advocate on behalf of claimants who have not yet come forward.
To view these or any of the filings in this case, visit http://www.kccllc.net/stocktondiocese. From this page, click “Court Documents” in the upper left corner view all documents filed with the court.