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

Another winter storm may be headed toward the East Coast of the United States this weekend, on the heels of a powerful and deadly system that blanketed huge swaths of the country in snow and ice. The effects of that original storm have lingered for many areas in its path, and will likely remain as repeated bouts of Arctic air plunge downward from Canada and drive temperatures below freezing. Nikki Nolan contributed to this report. In:

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