Maryland is highly likely to soon join many other states that have effectively removed the statute of limitations on child sexual abuse civil lawsuits. The Maryland House of Delegates recently voted near-unanimously for the Maryland Child Victims Act of 2023, which will allow countless adult survivors of child sexual abuse to take legal action to demand justice and compensation. The Maryland Senate has also voted near-unanimously to pass the bill there, which means it just needs to be signed. Governor Wes Moore has stated that he will sign it once the bill ends up on his desk.
The Maryland Child Victims Act of 2023 gained momentum after four years of work by the Maryland Attorney General’s Office, which was investigating allegations of widespread child sex abuse within the Baltimore Catholic Church. According to the investigators, the Baltimore Archdiocese had spent exhaustive resources to cover up evidence of sexual abuse within its ranks and properties, with some reports dating back to the ‘40s.
Typically, an adult survivor of sexual abuse in Maryland would only be able to file a claim against their attacker and an institution that harbored or enabled them up until their 38th birthday. This limitation stopped many people who had been sexually abused by members of the Baltimore Catholic Church from seeking legal remedies through the civil court system, rather than just the criminal justice system. If the Child Victims Act becomes law, as it likely should before May 2023, then the age limit would be removed. An adult would therefore be able to file a sexual abuse lawsuit in civil court for abuse that occurred at any time in their childhood, even when considering abuses that happened decades ago.
Sex Abuse Lawsuits in Maryland
Levy Konigsberg is a nationwide law firm with the resources and experience needed to file sexual abuse lawsuits against major defendants, such as religious groups, educational institutions, corporations, medical clinics, and more. We are paying close attention to the Maryland Child Victims Act of 2023, so we will be poised to represent Maryland residents who want to file a claim once it passes.
Do you want to use your voice and demand justice and compensation from an organization that enabled someone to sexually abuse you when you were a child? Let us amplify your words and take action on your behalf, just as we have done for so many throughout the years. Please call (800) 315-3806 or contact us online now to learn more about Maryland child sexual abuse lawsuits during a free, confidential consultation.
