But U.S. District Court Judge Edward Korman was expected to announce Wednesday that the Dec. 28 allocation hearing would be delayed by about a month.
Sources close to the process say the delay may push back a May 30 deadline for a final court decision on how the money will be paid out.
They point to three reasons why Korman decided to postpone the hearing:
*The recent release of the Volcker report on dormant Swiss bank accounts from the Holocaust era.
*The release several days later of the Bergier report on Switzerland’s wartime policy toward Jewish refugees.
*The creation last week by Germany and a group of German firms of a $5.2 billion fund for former slave and forced laborers from the Holocaust era.
The Swiss allocations have to take these events into account because many of those expected to receive payments belong to each of these categories.
Another reason for the delay is the flood of questionnaires received from potential claimants.
As of last month, the court overseeing the Swiss bank settlement has received 479,295 questionnaires from around the world, according to Lisa Leebove, a S.F.-based lawyer representing Holocaust victims or their heirs.
The allocation of the Swiss funds will have to get at least a statistical sampling of these forms before initial recommendations are made.
Still, there are those who believe that the May 30 deadline for a final distribution plan will not be delayed.
“We’re totally committed to that date,” said Burt Neuborne, the court-appointed settlement counsel. “The money should be in the hands of those who need it.”