On Friday, the Catholic Diocese of El Paso filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as it claimed they do not have the resources to pay the abuse victims. Attorney Levi Monagle of Huffman and Monagle Law Firm represents numerous victims of Priest Abuse in New Mexico, especially related to the Diocese of Las Cruces.
Monagle said the bankruptcy will impact how claims are resolved going forward and survivors will be able to achieve objectives that would have been difficult without the bankruptcy. Monagle points out that the Chapter 11 filing shows that the Diocese’s liabilities to pay victims threaten its existence and that this is merely the only way forward for them to handle these claims.
Davis Kelin Law Firm started the Priest Abuse project to help victims of abuse in New Mexico. We are handling cases related to the El Paso Diocese’s bankruptcy and are ready to listen to your story. Remember that if you are unaware of the rules for bankruptcy courts, it sets strict deadlines for abuse claims. After the bar date, New Mexico victims cannot seek compensation — ever again. There is no pressure to reach out to us with your story and you can take as much time as you need.
Read about our background as attorneys under the “Who We Are” tab in the top right hand corner of the website. The 120 day window for filing a claim is critical for victims because once the bankruptcy court shuts down claims from being filed, it’s a finality.
Attorney Levi Monagle urges survivor’s to understand their involvement in the bankruptcy with this statement: “The diocese owes them a debt essentially. And so the presence and involvement of survivors in the bankruptcy is critical.”
Survivors will play a key role in what happens next during the bankruptcy process. If you’re a victim and hesitating to come forward understand that if you were a victim of the Diocese of El Paso the clock is ticking to come forward.