DETROIT, MI -- U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Steven Rhodes plans to lift a stay of litigation against the city in the case of a slain police officer unless Detroit develops a plan to settle all its lawsuits within 35 days.

Detroit entered bankruptcy proceedings in July, citing over $18 billion in debt, resulting in hundreds of lawsuits against the city being put on hold.

Deborah Ryan, who sued the city over the 2009 death of her daughter, asked Rhodes last month to lift the stay.

Ryan's daughter Patricia "Katie" Williams was a Detroit police officer killed by her husband Edward Williams, also a Detroit cop, in Canton Township in 2009.

She sued Detroit, two Detroit police supervisors, Canton Township and two Canton police officers, claiming they failed to fully address signs including a suicide note that indicated her daughter's husband was unstable and dangerous.

Edward Williams shot and killed Katie Williams on Sept. 22, 2009 in a parking lot between the Canton Township library and police station before turning the gun on himself.

The couple left behind a 9-year-old son.

The lawsuit cites the Civil Rights Act, claiming authorities would have acted differently had the Williams not been police officers.

Both the city and the township denied liability and filed motions for summary judgment.

The last hearing in the case was held in federal court on July 18, the same day Detroit filed for bankruptcy protection.

Rhodes on Tuesday granted Ryan's motion to lift the stay, "unless, within 35 days, the City files a motion for approval of an efficient process for liquidating all of the tort claims."

Follow MLive Detroit reporter Khalil AlHajal on Twitter @DetroitKhalil or on Facebook at Detroit Khalil. He can be reached at kalhajal@mlive.com or 313-643-0527.