Background

The Diocese of Fresno (the “Diocese”) filed for bankruptcy on July 1, 2025, in the Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of California. At the start of the bankruptcy case, a committee of seven survivors with claims in the bankruptcy was appointed, called the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors (the “Committee”), to advocate on behalf of all survivors that file claims in the Diocese of Fresno’s bankruptcy case.

Committee Professionals

The Committee has sought and obtained Court approval to employ various professionals to assist the Committee in its work for survivors. Those professionals, and the role each plays, is summarized below:

1. Stinson LLP is the Committee’s lead bankruptcy law firm and has experience representing survivor committees in more than 15 bankruptcy cases filed by the Catholic Church entities. Fennemore LLP is the Committee’s local bankruptcy counsel and has experience and familiarity with practicing in the California bankruptcy courts.
2. Burns Bair LLP serves as the Committee’s special insurance counsel. Burns Bair LLP will assist the Committee by providing analysis regarding the scope of the Diocese’s insurance assets and legal expertise for any issues that need to be litigated with the Diocese’s insurers.
3. FTI serves as the Committee’s financial advisor. FTI will review the Diocese’s financial position, including the financial documents the Diocese has filed with the Court and will produce to the Committee. FTI will investigate the Diocese’s assets, assist the Committee with recovering assets for the benefit of survivors, and advise the Committee on the scope of assets that should be part of a settlement with survivors.
4. Stout Risius Ross LLC serves as the Committee’s claims valuation and real estate expert. Stout will evaluate the claims filed by survivors to support the Committee’s positions in settlement negotiations with the Diocese and its insurers. Stout will also evaluate the Diocese’s real property assets to help the Committee determine the value of the Diocese’s real property. 

Each of these professionals will work together to provide the Committee with an understanding of the assets that are available to pay survivors and the services necessary to ensure recovery for survivors can be maximized. The Committee, in connection with its bankruptcy counsel and attorneys representing survivors, will also be focused on ensuring the Diocese adopts protocols designed to provide transparency regarding the Diocese’s involvement in the sexual abuse of survivors and to protect children in the future.

Claims Bar Date

The deadline to file a claim in the bankruptcy case, also known as the “bar date,” occurred on February 2, 2026. One hundred and sixty-five (165) survivors filed a claim before the bar date. If you have questions about the status of your claim filing you should contact your attorney if you are represented, or if you aren’t represented you may email fresnosurvivorteam@stinson.com with questions.  Please know that Stinson may answer general bankruptcy procedure questions but not advise you on your individual case.

Mediation

Now that the bar date has passed, the case will move into a mediation phase. Mediation is a negotiation process, conducted out of court, designed to produce a settlement between the Committee, the Diocese, and the Diocese’s insurers. Typically, a neutral party, like a judge from another court or an attorney with no connection to the case, will act as a mediator to assist the parties’ efforts to reach a settlement. The Committee is currently working with the Diocese to identify a mediator and expects the mediation to begin in earnest in the coming months.   Mediation follows strict rules of confidentiality.  When any information may become public the Official Committee will post it to this website but normally there will be few if any details shared during mediation until any agreements are reached.

What to Expect Moving Forward

Diocesan bankruptcy cases typically go through several phases that take a great deal of time.  For a discussion of the bankruptcy process please check this link.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Committee’s legal counsel Stinson LLP by emailing fresnosurvivorteam@stinson.com

Updates from the Committee will be posted on the Committee’s website at: www.fresnosurvivors.com when possible.

An important component of the bankruptcy process is mediation. It can also be a frustrating time for Survivors because little can be reported publicly. The following is intended to help Survivors understand the process.

Who participates in mediation?

In this case, the parties in mediation will be the Survivor Committee, the Diocese of Fresno and its parishes and schools, and all insurance companies with policies that cover Survivor claims against the Diocese of Fresno. A mediator will oversee the process and attempt to help the parties find common ground.

How often does mediation occur?

Mediation is typically scheduled throughout bankruptcy until a settlement is reached.

What is negotiated?

The Committee, the Diocese, and the insurers try to figure out how much each party should pay to fund Survivor claims. The Committee will also do everything they can to enhance and strengthen the existing child protection policies and practices within the Diocese of Fresno.  

Is mediation “binding”?

It is not. The mediator attempts to bring the parties together to reach an agreement. If parties reach an agreement, it will then become part of a settlement and those details will ultimately be shared publicly and Survivors will have a chance to vote on them.

Can Survivors find out what the parties are saying in mediation?

Mediation requires very strict rules of confidentiality. The bankruptcy court wants all of the parties to speak as freely as possible during negotiations so they can find an agreement as quickly as possible. If parties are worried that the things they say in mediation will become public, they will not be direct with one another. The Survivor Committee relies on the experience of its legal representatives, and its financial and insurance professionals, to negotiate for Survivors.

How do we know mediation is making progress?

Very often, it is impossible for the Committee to share anything about what is happening in mediation with Survivor claimants. Whenever the Official Committee is able to share information about the case, including any developments in negotiations, it will do so via the website.

Should the fact that parties are participating in mediation be taken as a positive sign that a settlement is near?

The fact that the parties are meeting and negotiating is always a good thing, but it is not necessarily a sign that settlement is imminent. Mediation is a normal part of the bankruptcy process and, because the issues involved are so large and complicated, mediation can take a surprisingly long time to play out before any settlement is reached.

If I have more questions, who should I speak to?

If you have additional questions about the bankruptcy and your individual case you should communicate with your attorney.  General questions about the bankruptcy process can be sent to the Official Committee of Survivor’s legal counsel Stinson LLP by emailing Fresnosurvivorteam@stinson.com.