By JIM BUTLER

A mediator has been appointed in the Diocese of Alexandria bankruptcy and a hearing set to hear its bid for more time to file a reorganization plan.

Meanwhile, transcript access of a February 17 hearing on the Diocese request for a confidential order on various documents produced in the case is restricted until May 26, with redactions deadline set.

Editing for various reasons is standard procedure for the public version of a hearing transcript, perhaps more so considering the sensitive nature in a case such as this. 

The next scheduled court hearing is March 3, when the Diocese will seek an extension to April 30 of its exclusive right to file a reorganization plan. 

It filed Chapter 11 last October 31 in the face of projected financial disaster driven by claims from alleged victims of alleged clerical sexual abuse. 

The Diocese also seeks to have until July 31 to obtain acceptances of its reorganization plan by parties to the case. 

When asking for John W. Perry Jr.’s appointment the Diocese noted he had served it as mediator with representatives of certain sexual abuse claimants prior to the bankruptcy filing and reached a settlement in principle. 

Perry, member of the LSU Law School Hall of Fame, has been court-appointed Special Master in such cases as Deepwater Horizon, Chinese Drywall and GM Ignition Switch. 

Both of the motions heard on the 17th had objection from the plaintiff side, one to Perry having worked for the Diocese prior to filing and one to what was construed as uncontested sealing of documents.