MILWAUKEE (AP) — Mediation in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s long and costly bankruptcy case begins Monday, and legal experts say the time is right for at least a partial deal to help settle the matter and bring closure to hundreds of sexual abuse victims who have filed claims. A sticking point has been a $55 million trust fund that victims believe New York Cardinal and former Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy Dolan set up to shield money from them. The archdiocese says the money was given to care for Catholic cemeteries. Both sides have had single victories in lower courts and are awaiting a tie-breaker appeals court ruling. Marquette University Law School professor Ralph Anzivino says that gives them an incentive to reach a deal before the appeals court issues a winner-take-all decision.
