A federal bankruptcy court judge on Friday cleared the way for survivors of clergy sex abuse to vote on a proposed settlement plan with the Archdiocese of New Orleans that could bring the long-running case to a close by the end of this year.

At a key hearing held more than five years after the case began, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Meredith Grabill said she will approve a set of documents with detailed information about the proposed settlement and a ballot with voting instructions.

The settlement, which was jointly negotiated between the archdiocese and a court-appointed committee that represents the interests of the roughly 650 abuse survivors who have filed claims, would create a trust of nearly $180 million to benefit survivors. An additional $45 million or so would be added to the

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