BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Diocese of Buffalo has filed a motion to get a preliminary injunction, related to paying off their debts to survivors of sexual abuse.
According to the filing, the Diocese is planning to offer $100 million to those survivors.
However, there is no settlement yet.
That information was revealed in a motion the Diocese filed this week, for a preliminary injunction to further delay any of the hundreds of survivors from suing their parishes or non-bankrupt entities.
"You can't sue the Diocese because they're in bankruptcy but you can sue the other entities. So the Diocese would like all the entities treated like they're in bankruptcy but these other entities are not in bankruptcy," said Steve Boyd, an attorney for the survivors.
After the Diocese of Buffalo filed for bankruptcy in 2020, survivors agreed to put a temporary stay in place to delay any lawsuits against the Diocese's non-bankrupt entities.
That agreement expired on September 30 and has a grace period until November 15.
The Diocese, survivors, and its lawyers have been trying to negotiate for so long that now Boyd says survivors aren't willing to wait any longer.
"The survivors would like their cases to go to a jury and get their day in court," Boyd said.
Part of the reason Boyd says 875 survivors would like to have their cases in court, is because they don't believe the $100 million is enough.
He cited the Diocese in Syracuse, which has half the amount of survivors and where a settlement ended in $100 million for them.
"Those folks are getting to not only to get something and then move in their cases against the insurance companies, in Buffalo, we haven't even hit stage one," Boyd said.
The Diocese of Buffalo didn't want to speak on camera.
However, officials there say they believe delaying positively impacts survivors.
They say if things aren't stalled and lawsuits are filed, it's likely the first few would receive the bulk of the money and there wouldn't be much left for remaining survivors.
According to the Diocese, just to hit $100 million, it would likely need to sell the Catholic Center building on Main Street, the former Christ the King Seminary campus in East Aurora, and other nonessential real estate.
The Diocese believes half the funding would need to come from its non-bankrupt entities.
The Diocese is trying to extend the stay until April 2024.
A hearing is set to discuss the preliminary injunction on November 28.