A lawyer for victims of physical and sexual abuse at the Youth Development Center argued Wednesday afternoon that their lawsuit filed against changes made to how the settlement fund operates should proceed.

The lawsuit seeks an injunction to block changes to the YDC Settlement Fund, including switching the administrator from a judicial employee to a political appointee and giving the attorney general veto power over any settlement decisions the administrator makes. The class-action suit represents nearly 1,500 claimants.

After the preliminary two-day hearing in Merrimack County Superior Court, which continued Wednesday afternoon, Judge Daniel St. Hilaire will consider the merits of the case.

Dan Deane, an attorney with Nixon Peabody for the plaintiffs, said the changes were made in the

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