(Buffalo, NY) — Today, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Western District of New York, Judge Carl L. Bucki has ruled that 17 ‘test cases’ can move forward in the Diocese of Buffalo bankruptcy case. This is a major victory for survivors of clergy abuse, as many survivors have been patiently waiting for their cases to move forward since 2020.

“Today’s decision represents momentum towards the justice and healing that is long overdue,” said attorney Stacey Benson. “It is a victory not only for survivors in Buffalo, but survivors across the country whose cases have been lost for years in the abyss of bankruptcy court.”

For years, the Diocese of Buffalo has attempted to evade accountability and delay legal resolutions for survivors. In October 2020, following the Dioceses of Buffalo’s malicious decision to file for bankruptcy, the Diocese asked a New York bankruptcy court to consider shortening the timeframe for clergy sexual abuse survivors to come forward and file lawsuits. Judge Carl Bucki, quickly denied this disingenuous legal tactic.

The 17 cases will return to state court and will likely be overseen by Justice Deborah Chimes. A status conference is set for December 13 in front of Judge Bucki to discuss how to move the entire bankruptcy case forward.