May 12, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
Senators from New York gathered on Friday to discuss extending the time for victims to file a claim for sexual abuse. The original deadline was set to expire on August 14, 2020 but now, according to Governor Andrew Cuomo, legislators have agreed to extend it to January 14, 2021; giving survivors of childhood sexual abuse an additional five months to file a claim. The senate felt that since court services have been significantly reduced due to the virus, it was only fair to extend the time for these victims.
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First Lawsuits Filed Against Portland Diocese Since Law Change
August 16, 2022 / by Christina Feeney / Sexual Abuse & Assault Lawsuits
In July 2021, Governor Janet Mills signed a bill into law which eliminated Maine’s statute of limitations laws for child sexual abuse. A year later, the first child sexual abuse lawsuits to take advantage of the new law were filed against the Diocese of Portland.
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Nebraska Lawmaker’s Death May Halt Child Sex Abuse SOL Reform Bill
June 2, 2022 / by Christina Feeney / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
In late 2021, Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson’s office released the results of its investigation into clergy sex abuse and the Catholic dioceses in the state.
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Louisiana Opens Revival Window
May 17, 2022 / by Christina Feeney / Sexual Abuse & Assault Lawsuits
Louisiana opened a three-year revival window which gives sexual abuse survivors with expired civil claims the ability to file them.
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Over 800 Sex Abuse Lawsuits Filed in New Jersey Since Revival Window Opened
January 12, 2022 / by Christina Feeney / Sexual Abuse & Assault Lawsuits
Since December 1, 2019, when New Jersey opened a two-year revival window for victims of sexual abuse, 820 lawsuits alleging sexual abuse against clerics, teachers, and nuns have been filed against Catholic dioceses and orders.
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Sex Abuse SOL Reform Law Takes Effect Mid-October in Maine
October 19, 2021 / by Christina Feeney / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
Maine sexual abuse survivor Robert Dupuis was only 12 years old in 1961 when Rev. John J. Curran began sexually abusing him.
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Michigan Lawmakers Consider Extending Time for Child Sex Abuse Victims to Bring Lawsuits
September 30, 2021 / by Christina Feeney / Sexual Abuse & Assault Lawsuits
The Michigan Legislature is considering bipartisan bills which, if passed, would give survivors of sexual abuse more time to bring their claims forward and file lawsuits against their abusers in the state of Michigan. The current law caps the civil statute of limitations for child sex abuse at age 28, which is on the lower end of the spectrum when compared to other states around the country.
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Pennsylvania Legislators Take Two-Track Approach to Open Revival Window for Child Sex Abuse Survivors
April 15, 2021 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
After a serious ‘blunder’ by Pennsylvania’s Department of State earlier this month, Pennsylvania legislators look to pass a new bill that would allow child sex abuse victims a two-year ‘window’ to file civil claims in court against both public and private entities.
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Diocese of Scranton Faces 3 More Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawsuits
March 12, 2021 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
Three sexual abuse lawsuits filed against the Scranton Diocese at the end of 2020 allege that church officials knew the accused clergy members were abusing children and instead of punishing those priests, they transferred them to other parishes.
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Rhode Island Bill Seeks to Expand Perpetrator Definition Under Annie’s Law
March 10, 2021 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
Rhode Island is reviewing a new bill to expand the current law’s definition of “perpetrator”, The bill is in response to state court rulings which, victims’ advocates say, have narrowed the meaning of the term “perpetrator” and has precluded victims of clergy sexual abuse from including a church or diocese in a lawsuit.
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Pennsylvania Revival Window Moves Closer to Reality
February 6, 2021 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania made headlines in August of 2018 with the release of the Diocese Victim Report, which came after a two-year grand jury investigation into sexual abuse and cover-ups in six of the eight Pennsylvania Dioceses. In its wake, Pennsylvania legislators took aim at updating laws involving sexual abuse and a survivor’s ability to pursue a civil action against an abuser and the institutions that covered it up.
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Rhode Island Passes Law Helping Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors
September 21, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Sexual Abuse & Assault Lawsuits
On August 9, 2019, Governor Gina M. Raimondo held a ceremony, signing into law a new childhood sexual abuse statute of limitations reform. The reform gives victims of childhood sexual abuse a major victory, which will allow more survivors, particularly those who are older, the ability to hold their abusers accountable for their actions.
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North Carolina Passes Sexual Abuse Law Reforms Helping Survivors
July 1, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Sexual Abuse & Assault Lawsuits
In November 2019, Governor Roy Cooper signed Senate Bill 199 into law. In the signing of the bill, which went into effect December 1, 2019, North Carolina took a positive step forward in protecting sexual abuse and assault victims. The bill closed loopholes like sexual contact under the premise of medical treatment, or consent revocation involving incapacitation by alcohol. These types of loopholes made it harder to prosecute sexual predators.
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New York’s Child Victims Act Extended Due To Coronavirus
May 12, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
Senators from New York gathered on Friday to discuss extending the time for victims to file a claim for sexual abuse. The original deadline was set to expire on August 14, 2020 but now, according to Governor Andrew Cuomo, legislators have agreed to extend it to January 14, 2021; giving survivors of childhood sexual abuse an additional five months to file a claim. The senate felt that since court services have been significantly reduced due to the virus, it was only fair to extend the time for these victims.
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Arizona Law Extends Deadline for Filing Sexual Abuse Cases
May 5, 2020 / by Brett Katsma / Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
An Arizona state law opening a window for those whose sexual abuse claims may have been time barred has been extended to the end of this year. Two victims who claim they were abused by Catholic priests over 40 years ago used this law to file lawsuits against their church and the Diocese of Phoenix.
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