Victims can now bring suit for much older abuse cases that would in the past have been blocked by statutes of limitation
Nonprofit think tank Child USA reports that no fewer than 19 jurisdictions in the United States are significantly expanding their windows on the prosecution of sexual abuse crimes. On August 14, 2019, New York State will be the first to do so by extending its criminal statute of limitations for felony prosecutions for sexual abuse to victims aged 28 and for misdemeanor prosecutions to victims aged 25. The new law will also allow civil claims against individuals and institutions to be brought by adults up to age 55, and removes the 90-day notice requirement for claims against public institutions. The new law further opens a 1-year “revival window” against individuals and institutions that will allow past abuse to be reported and prosecuted. This new mandate was signed into law by New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo on February 14, 2019.
Other states with new statute of limitations reform laws going into effect in 2019 include:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Connecticut
- Iowa
- Maine
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Washington
- Washington D.C.
Read the full list of statewide changes on Child USA’s website.
Contact a Child Sexual Abuse Lawyer at Lieff Cabraser
Lieff Cabraser partner Annika K. Martin leads the cases for our firm on behalf of child and other victims who suffered sexual abuse. You can contact Annika by telephone at 800 541-7358 or you can use the confidential form below. There is no charge or obligation for your outreach, and all information will be held in the strictest confidence. You can also learn more about these kinds of cases on our Survivors Portal.
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