October Update The Official Committee of Survivors of sexual abuse in the Diocese of Albany bankruptcy is working hard to reach a final settlement with all parties. The Survivor Committee has been engaged in frequent mediation sessions to negotiate the best financial settlement and the youth protection measures that will keep our children safe in the future.  

Of note, a hearing occurred on October 15, 2026. At the hearing, the Court addressed (i) a discovery dispute between the Debtor, insurers and other creditors; (ii) a motion to enlarge the mediation effort by adding a mediator to focus on negotiations between the Debtor and non-survivor creditors; and (iii) the status of the Hartford claim objection appeal. While this is highly technical bankruptcy law, the Survivor Committee through its legal counsel, the Survivor Protection Team at Stinson LLP, is advocating strenuously for the best interests of all Survivors. The Survivor Committee knows that this has been a long and often re-traumatizing process for all Survivors but remains optimistic that significant progress is being made and will continue to update this website when information can be shared publicly. 

If you are represented by an attorney in this bankruptcy and have questions about your individual claim you should discuss them with your attorney.  General bankruptcy process questions and comments for the Survivor Committee may be sent to albanysurvivorteam@stinson.com.  All messages are treated confidentially and receive a response

On March 12, 2025, Judge Littlefield granted seven survivors relief from the automatic stay to pursue their cases against the Diocese in state court. The automatic stay is a mechanism in bankruptcy cases that “stays” or suspends various actions, including lawsuits, against the bankrupt entity during the life of the bankruptcy case. Here, when the Diocese filed for bankruptcy, survivors were prevented from continuing their lawsuits against the Diocese because of the automatic stay.

With the support of the Committee, the seven survivors obtained relief from the automatic stay and can now proceed with their cases against the Diocese in state court. The Committee believes that these cases will spur progress in the ongoing mediation in the bankruptcy case as they (1) will provide information regarding the value of survivor claims; and (2) alter the current mediation dynamics, which are ongoing, but have been unsuccessful so far. Each of the survivors has indicated that they will not seek to collect on any settlement or judgment obtained in connection with their lawsuits, and that their efforts are designed to drive progress in the bankruptcy case.  

Mediation

The Committee participated in several mediation sessions over the course of 2024 with the Debtor, the Debtor’s affiliates, the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors, and the Debtor’s insurers. The latest session occurred on December 5, 2024. While the Committee has made progress toward a global resolution, mediation remains ongoing. The Committee is hopeful that future sessions in 2025 will produce a favorable resolution for Survivors.

Survivor Resources

The Committee understands that survivors of abuse may find the bankruptcy process confusing and frustrating. Members of the Committee are survivors of abuse themselves and they are dedicated to representing all survivors in the case. Updates about the case will continue to be added to this website. Keep in mind also that this site includes an overview of the bankruptcy process, answers to frequently asked questions, and mental health resources.

We hope that this website will continue to serve as a helpful resource for you. If you would like to contact the Committee, please reach out to its legal team at Stinson by e-mailing this address:  albanysurvivorteam@stinson.com.