Earlier hearing date granted in Macon Charter bankruptcy case

On Tuesday, state and local officials were granted an earlier hearing date related to the Macon Charter Academy bankruptcy case.

The hearing, in which Bibb County school district and Georgia Department of Education representatives will ask for relief from a stay during bankruptcy proceedings, has been set for June 22 at 11 a.m. at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Macon. The hearing was originally scheduled for July, but the order, signed by Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge James Smith, said that an earlier date was “granted for cause.”

On May 4, MCA filed for a Chapter 11 reorganization, and the state education department was informed that a stay had been placed on the process to terminate the school’s charter. An action item to begin that process had been on the agenda for a state board meeting held the same day, but it was removed.

Friday, attorneys for the state and local boards filed a joint motion asking for relief from the stay and another motion asking for an expedited hearing.

“It is essential that the State and Bibb County Board of Education be given the time necessary to protect the students under their authority and this can be accomplished only if the termination process is allowed to go forward immediately, and that is true even if the charter is not terminated,” the motion for an expedited hearing stated.

This story was originally published June 7, 2016 at 5:25 PM with the headline "Earlier hearing date granted in Macon Charter bankruptcy case."