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LAFAYETTE -- A lawsuit filed 17 years ago over the conduct of a former music director for the Catholic Diocese of Lafayette is set to be unsealed Feb. 10, according to attorneys in the case.

The lawsuit was filed against the diocese in 1986 on behalf of at least two girls who were teenagers at the time, although it is uncertain how many girls were originally involved. Only one woman remains in the case. Her lawsuit is set for trial March 24.

The music director, Dwight Hebert, worked in several churches in the diocese. He died in 1990. Church officials declined to comment on whether he ever faced allegations of sexual misconduct. The attorney for the girl, Clay Burgess, had requested last year that the church turn over all information it has on sexual misconduct by priests or other employees.

Burgess and church attorney Gil Dozier said Wednesday that they could not discuss the allegations in the lawsuit while the case remained under seal. The record was originally sealed from public view at the request of the girls' families when the lawsuit was filed.

In a statement issued through Burgess, the remaining plaintiff in the case and another plaintiff who has withdrawn said they wanted to unseal the lawsuit so "other victims will gain the strength to come forward and get help." Neither attorney would say whether any of the other cases have been settled or dismissed.

On Friday, the church asked state Judge Jules Edwards to grant a motion for summary judgment, a request to rule on the case without a trial. Edwards denied that request after a closed-door hearing in which he also ordered the lawsuit be unsealed. Church attorneys have until Feb. 10 to argue against the record being unsealed. Dozier said the church does not oppose unsealing the records.