The New York Child Victims Act created a special one-year window during which adult survivors of child sexual abuse would be permitted to file civil actions related to their abuse. The Act was passed in response to repeated allegations of long-ago abuse made involving religious institutions and other organizations.
That window was set to expire on Aug. 14 of this year. But given court disruptions caused by the onset of the COVID-19 global pandemic, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Legislature have acted to give victims more time.
A bill signed into law on Aug. 3 extends the deadline for filing claims by one year – to Aug. 14, 2021. To date, more than 1,400 civil suits have reportedly been filed.
Municipalities and other organizations should continue to take notice of the potential for claims and how the courts are handling them.
