New Maryland law lifts civil statute of limitations for all child sex abuse claims

A new law in Maryland that lifts the statute of limitations on civil lawsuits in child sexual abuse cases went into effect Sunday. In response, lawsuits representing more than 400 plaintiffs are being filed against the state over alleged child sex crimes that took place over decades in the state's juvenile justice system, an opportunity one plaintiff says felt empowering.

In most states, survivors have only until a few years after their 18th birthday to file a lawsuit. However, according to a 2020 study, it takes survivors until they're, on average, 52 years old to report cases of child abuse. Data from the Justice Department indicates that 86% of such cases are never reported.

Maryland is now the 10th state to eliminate the civil statute of limitations for all claims of child sexual abuse, allowing survivors to sue for damages at any time. This year, 37 other states have introduced bills that would reexamine or extend their civil statutes of limitations.