NEWPORT NEWS -- Lawyers for Michael Vick have asked a federal bankruptcy judge to appoint a mediator to help settle his financial obligations with numerous creditors.

At a hearing in Newport News today, Paul Campsen said court-ordered mediation would make sense and save money.

Judge Frank J. Santoro told a representative of several creditors to make sure mediation would be acceptable to them before he appoints a mediator.

The representative told Santoro the creditors would like to be paid. Vick's lawyers have said they are still using forensic accountants to track down his assets and liabilities.

Vick, once the highest-paid player in the NFL and a standout player at Virginia Tech, is serving a 23-month federal prison sentence after his conviction on dogfighting charges last summer.

-- The Associated Press