NYS Lifts Statute of Limitations on Child Sex Abuse Claims

By: Ryan Charder, Esq., Associate

In August, NY enacted the Child Victims Act which effectively repeals the statute of limitations on child sex abuse lawsuits for a period of one year. This allows any person that is currently older than the previous statute of limitations to now report their claim for one year from August 14, 2019.

 New York’s previous statute held that if a victim did not file a criminal complaint by the time he or she was twenty three (23) years of age, they basically lost any recourse. In addition to the current one-year window for all victims to be permitted to bring claims, the new law permanently raises the victim’s age from 23 to 28 for which criminal prosecutors can file charges against abusers.  

 There have already been numerous claims filed against religious and youth-based organizations by individuals in their 40s that state elders were notified of the abuse contemporaneous in time to when it occurred but did not notify the authorities or families in the communities.

 Should anyone be aware of an individual that has suffered such a tragedy, make sure to notify the authorities and call MORICI & MORICI, LLP so that your interests are protected.