Abuse Victims Say Judge Had Conflict of Interest In Milwaukee Archdiocese Trust Fund Ruling

As previously reported, last month Wisconsin federal district court judge Rudolph T. Randa held that a $55 million cemetery perpetual care trust fund is unavailable to creditors, including abuse victims, in the bankruptcy reorganization of the Milwaukee Catholic Archdiocese.  On Monday, the Unsecured Creditors' Committee (representing abuse victims) filed a Motion to Vacate the Judgment and a Memorandum in Support of the Motion, as well as a Motion to require Judge Randa to recuse himself and a Memorandum in Support of the Motion. Petitioners argue:

at least nine of Judge Randa’s relatives (including his mother, his father and his wife’s parents) are buried in cemeteries owned and operated by the Debtor, the very cemeteries that are to be maintained with the funds moved from the Debtor’s accounts to the Cemetery Trust before filing for bankruptcy.... [In addition] he is a party to a contract wherein the Cemetery Trust is the exclusive provider of care and maintenance for [his parents'] burial crypts, with an interest in how the funds are used.

Yesterday's Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reporting on the motions, says that Judge Randa's ruling removed the last major asset available for a settlement with abuse victims.