Attorneys representing students and families in a civil rights lawsuit against Ursuline High School and the Diocese of Youngstown are objecting to a request to allow an insurance representative to attend upcoming settlement talks remotely.

Defense attorneys filed a motion Friday asking a federal judge to excuse the Diocese’s insurance representative from appearing in person at the mediation conference scheduled for Jan. 23. They requested permission for the representative to participate using video conferencing technology instead.

In the court filing, attorneys for the school and diocese stated that the insurance representative lives out of state. They argued that traveling to the courthouse would require the representative to pay for flights, a hotel stay, and ground transportation.

The defense lawyers noted that the school administrators and the attorneys themselves still plan to attend the meeting in person. They assured the court that the insurance representative has the authority to make final financial decisions and would remain available by video throughout the entire session if the judge or other parties need to speak with him.

Attorneys for the families, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, John Roe, and others, filed a response later that same day opposing the request. They argued that the case is a serious matter that demands full attention from everyone involved.

The plaintiffs' legal team stated that allowing a key decision-maker to participate remotely while everyone else is present in the room shifts the dynamics of the mediation. They asked the court to deny the motion and require the representative to attend in person.

The mediation is set to take place under the guidance of U.S. Magistrate Judge Carmen Henderson. The goal of the conference is to determine if the parties can agree on a settlement regarding allegations of hazing and assault without proceeding to a trial.