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Childhood Molestation Statute Of Limitations

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STATES CITATION EXTENDED SOL SUMMARY
Alabama § 6-2-38 Alabama has no special statute of limitations. The Alabama Supreme Court has refused to adopt a discovery rule or any provision to repressed memory claims. Claims must be brought within 2 years of the date of the injury under Alabama Code § 6-2-38
Alaska AS §09.10.060AS § 09.10.140AS § 09.10.065 Alaska has no statute of limitations for felony sexual abuse. However, under AS 09.10.065, a person may bring an action at any time for felony sexual abuse of a minor, or felony sexual assault. Also, Alaska has a delayed discovery/realization statute. AS § 09.10.140. Discovery is defined as when “the plaintiff discovered or through use of reasonable diligence should have discovered that the act caused the injury or condition.”
Arizona Yes, Minority Tolling Arizona does not have a special statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse. However, in certain cases it has applied it statutory minority and disability “unsound mind” (Arizona Statutes § 12-502) tolling provisions to the general tort statute (Arizona Statutes § 12-542) of limitations.
Arkansas §16-56-130(a) Yes Arkansas civil claims must be filed within 3 years of the discovery of childhood sexual abuse.
California Ca. Civ. Proc. Code 340.1 Yes Civ. Proc. Code 340.1 Effective January 1, 2003. The new law provides that actions for the recovery of damages suffered as a result of childhood sexual abuse may be commenced on or after the victim’s 26th birthday if the person or entity against whom the action is commenced knew, had reason to know, or was otherwise on notice, of any unlawful sexual conduct by an employee, volunteer, representative, or agent, and failed to take reasonable steps, and implement reasonable safeguards, to avoid future acts of unlawful sexual conduct. Additionally, under certain circumstances, a cause of action solely for those claims listed above may be revived for a period of one (1) year. All California victims, regardless of age, have one (1) year from January 1, 2003, within which to bring a civil suit.
Colorado §13-80-103.7 (2001) Yes Colorado claims filed within 6 years of reaching the age of majority or 6 years of the removal of a disability as defined by the statute.
Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stats. 52-577d Yes Connecticut has no common law discovery provision. The existing special statute allows action within 30 years from the date the victim reached the “age of majority.”
Delaware §8145 and § 8119 Yes Claims must be brought within 2 years from the date of the injury.Senate Bill 29 (§8145) was introduced on January 25, 2007. It is an act to amend title 10 of the Delaware code by removing the statute of limitations for civil suits relating to childhood sexual abuse and adding related provisions regarding such suits. The bill, now chapter 102, was signed by the Governor 7/10/07.
District of Columbia §12-301§ 12-302 (a)(1) Yes Claims must be brought within three years “from the time the right to maintain the action accrues.” If the victim is a minor when the injury occurs, he or she may bring the action within three years of his or her eighteenth birthday.
Florida § 95.11(7) Yes Claims founded on alleged abuse, or incest, may be commenced at any time within 7 years after the age of majority, or within 4 years after the injured person leaves the dependency of the abuser, or within 4 years from the time of discovery by the injured party of both the injury and the causal relationship between the injury and the abuse, whichever occurs later. “For intentional torts based on abuse.”
Georgia O.C.G.A. 9-3-33.1 (2001) Yes Civil actions may be brought by victims within 5 years of reaching their age of majority.
Hawaii § 657-7 Yes, Minority Tolling General limitations period for injuries is 2 years.
Idaho § 6-1704 Yes Suit may be brought within five years of the victim reaching the age of majority. The statute is only applicable to cases arising after its effective date, July 1, 1989.
Illinois § 13–202.2(b) Yes Illinois has a special statute of limitations for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. As amended in 2003, Illinois Statutes § 13–202.2(b) provides: An action for damages for personal injury based on childhood sexual abuse must be commenced within 10 years of the date the victim discovers that the act of childhood sexual abuse occurred and that the injury was caused by the childhood sexual abuse.
Indiana Code 34-11-2-4 Yes General statute of limitations requires that any action for injuries to the person must be filed within 2 years of the time when the cause of action accrues, but before the child becomes 31 years of age. §§ 34-10-2-5 prohibits suits based on injuries that transpire in childhood unless brought within two years of the child reaching eighteen.
Iowa § 614.8A Yes Pursuant to Iowa statutory law and case law, victims must commence their lawsuits within 4 years of the discovery of an. Iowa Code Ann. §§ 614.8A which applies to all cases in which injury occurred after July 1, 1990.
Kansas §60-523 Yes The abused have 3 years from the age of 18, or three years from the date the victim realizes they have suffered an injury or illness caused by sexual abuse. The statute is expressly retroactive.
Kentucky § 413.249 Yes Civil actions for sexual abuse may be brought within five years of the last act of abuse, or within five years of the date the victim’s discovery of the abuse or within five years after the victim reaches the age of eighteen.
Louisiana LA R.S. 9:2800.9. Yes General discovery rule provides suit must be brought one year from date of discovery.
Maine Rev. Stat. Ann. 14 § 752-C Yes-Anytime Civil or criminal actions may be brought at any time.
Maryland Maryland Annotated Code Section 5-117 Extending the statute of limitations for civil childhood sexual abuse actions to 7 years after the date that the victim attains the age of majority.
Massachusetts General Laws c. 260, § 4C Yes Civil action may be brought 3 years from the act, 3 years from age 18, or 3 years from the time the victim discovered that an emotional or psychological injury or condition occurred.
Michigan None. No special statute. The general personal injury statute, § 600.5805 governs actions for childhood sexual abuse. Sec. 5805. (1) A person shall not bring or maintain an action to recover damages for injuries to persons or property unless, after the claim first accrued to the plaintiff or to someone through whom the plaintiff claims, the action is commenced within the periods of time prescribed by this section.
Minnesota §541.073 Yes Action for damages based on personal injury caused by childhood sexual abuse must originate within six years of the time the plaintiff knew or had reason to know that the injury was caused by sexual abuse.” If the victim is a minor, the six year limitations begins to run one year after the plaintiff reaches 18 and would terminate at age 25.
Mississippi § 15-1-49§ 15-1-59§ 15-1-57 Mississippi victims must file their claims: within 3 years of the act constituting sexual abuse under § 15-1-49,within 3 years of attaining the age of majority under the “minor savings statute” under § 15-1-59, and within 3 years of the victim’s release from imprisonment under § 15-1-57.The Court has declined to apply the discovery statute to cases of delayed realization of the connection between the abuse and the victim’s psychological injury; however, the issue has not been presented in the context of extensive memory repression. The standards for proving fraudulent concealment of a claim are so high as to be impracticable.
Missouri § 537.046 Yes Civil claims must be filed either within 5 years of the time the victim reaches age 18, or within 3 years from the date the victim discovers that physical or psychological injury was caused by abuse
Montana § 27-2-216(a) Yes Claim may bring three years after the act of childhood sexual abuse that is alleged to have caused the injury; or 3 years after the time of discovery or reasonably should have discovered that the injury was caused by the act of childhood sexual abuse.
Nebraska Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-207 None. There is no special statute of limitations for victims of child sexual abuse. Nebraska victims must file their cases as follows:Within 4 years of the acts constituting abuse under the general tort SOL. (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-207); The statute of limitations is suspended for victims who were abused as minors until they reach the age of 21 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-213), therefore, victims have the period of 4 years from attaining the age of 21 in which to institute legal action.
Nevada §11.215 Yes Civil claims within 10 years of age 18, or within 10 years of discovery that injury was caused by the abuse. No outside time limitation as long as clear and convincing evidence exists that the abuse occurred.
New Hampshire § 508:4-9 Yes A person, alleging to have been subjected to any offense under RSA 632-A, or an offense under RSA 639:2, who were under 18 years of age when the alleged offense occurred, may commence a personal action based on the incident within the later of:I. Twelve years of the person’s eighteenth birthday; orII. Three years of the time the plaintiff discovers, or in the exercise of reasonable diligence should have discovered, the injury and its causal relationship to the act or omission complained of.
New Jersey § 2A:61B-1 Yes Actions can be initiated within two years of the date of the “reasonable discovery” of the “injury and its causal relationship to the act of sexual abuse.”
New Mexico §37-1-30 Yes Action can be initiated by the victim’s 24th birthday, or 3 years from the date of discovery of abuse, or had reason to know of the childhood sexual abuse and that the abuse resulted in injury.
New York N.Y. Civil Prac. Law § 215N.Y. Civil Prac. Law § 214N.Y. Civil Prac. Law §213-c Yes In New York, there is no extended statute of limitations for sexual abuse; however, if the abuse is treated as an intentional tort, New York’s SOL is one year. N.Y. Civil Prac. Law § 215. If the victim brings a claim against a church or school which administered the perpetrator, or any action that is based in negligence, rather than criminal behavior, the SOL is 3 years—N.Y. Civil Prac. Law § 214. New York adopted a special statute of limitations for victims of sexual crimes in 2006—N.Y. Civil Prac. Law §213-c. The statute provides that actions for civil damages for defined sexual crimes, including sexual abuse of a minor, may be brought within 5 years of the acts constituting the sexual offense.
North Carolina § 1-52(16) Yes General discovery statute (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52(16)(1993) and general incompetence tolling provision (§ 1-17(a)(1993).
North Dakota §28-01-01 The statute provides that cases suspended for infancy, must be put in suit within 1 year of the victim reaching the age of majority (18).
Ohio ORC §2305.111(c) Yes Ohio’s Special Statute of Limitations for Childhood Sexual Abuse, Effective August 3, 2006. The law gives victims 12 years from their age of majority to bring actions against their perpetrators.
Oklahoma Tit. 12, §95 Yes Action commenced two years of the last act, two years of age 18 or two years of discovery, through 20 years from age 18.
Oregon § 12.117 Yes Claims must be brought within six years of age 18, or three years of discovery of the injury and the abuse.
Pennsylvania Pa.C.S. § 5533(b) Yes, Minority Tolling Extended Statute of Limitations (SOL) Section 5533(b) (2) of Title 42 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is amended to provide a SOL of 12 years from the date of a victim reaching his or her age of majority (18). The act also provides, however, that the amendment to 42 Pa.C.S. § 5533(b) shall not be applied to revive an action that has been barred by an existing statute of limitations on the effective date of the act.
Rhode Island § 9-1-51 Yes Administer claims against non-perpetrators; actions must be brought within three years of accrual. Within seven years of the last act or discovery that the injury or illness was caused by the act.
South Carolina §15-3-555 Yes Extends the statute of limitations for civil claims six years after the person reaches twenty-one or three years from the time the victim realizes that their injuries are caused by childhood sexual abuse.
South Dakota § 26-10-25 Yes Within three years of the act or discovery that the injury was caused by the act.
Tennessee Tenn. Code 28-3-104 and 28-1-106 Yes, Minority Tolling There is no specific statute of limitations for survivors of sexual abuse. General one year SOL. General minority tolling statute suspending the claim until the plaintiff reaches 18 available. Suit must then be brought within one year.
Texas § 16.0045 Yes Five year statute of limitations for violation of Section 22.011, Penal Code sexual assault; or Section 22.021, Penal Code aggravated sexual assault. Majority tolling provision states that if the victim was a minor, the SOL does not begin to run until his/her eighteenth birthday.
Utah §78B-2-309 Yes A person shall file a civil action for intentional or negligent sexual abuse suffered as a child, within four years after the person attains the age of 18 years; or if a person discovers sexual abuse only after attaining the age of 18 years, that person may bring a civil action for such sexual abuse within four years after discovery of the sexual abuse, whichever period expires later. The victim need not establish which act in a series of continuing sexual abuse incidents caused the injury complained of, but may compute the date of discovery from the date of discovery of the last act by the same perpetrator which is part of a common scheme or plan of sexual abuse.
Vermont Title 12, §522 Yes Civil action brought by any person for injury suffered as a result of childhood sexual abuse initiated within six years of the act, or six years of the time of discovery.
Virginia § 8.01-243 Yes General statute of limitation for injuries to the victim is 2 years after the time of the injury. If the person at the time of the injury is a minor, the two-year time period will commence once that person comes of age.
Washington §4.16.340 Yes Claims of action shall be commenced within three years of the act alleged to have caused the injury or condition; within three years of the time of discovery or reasonably should have discovered that the injury or condition was caused by abuse; or within three years of the time the victim discovered that the act caused the injury for which the claim is brought provided that the time limit for commencement of an action is tolled for a child until the he/she reaches eighteen years.
West Virginia § 55-2-15 Yes The burden is on the victim to demonstrate that he/she was prevented from knowing of the claim at the time of the injury by reason of fraudulent concealment, inability to comprehend the injury, or other extreme hardship. Mere ignorance of existence of cause of action or of identity of wrongdoer does not prevent running of statute of limitations. Nor can the discovery rule be used to extend past the 20 year statute of repose.
Wisconsin §893.587 Yes Claim may be filed two years of reaching age of majority.
Wyoming §1-3-105 Yes Action for childhood sexual abuse may be brought eight years after victims eighteenth birthday or 3 years after the time of discovery.