Within a week of the publication of the Maryland Attorney General’s report on the sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests in the state of Maryland, Governor Wes Moore signed into law a bill that would abolish time limitations for the filing of sexual abuse lawsuits against institutions such as the Catholic Church. This is not a “window” legislation that covers just a certain period of time but eliminates the time limit (statute of limitations) for the filing of sexual abuse lawsuits.
The new law will go into effect on October 1, 2023 but with caps on certain types of sexual abuse cases. For private entities, under the bill, damages are capped at $1.5 million for non-economic damages like pain and suffering, but there isn’t a cap for damages relating to costs for services like therapy. For public entities like school boards and local governments, damages are capped at $890,000.
Since the Archdiocese of Baltimore covers the majority of Catholic churches in Maryland, that institution will most likely face the largest number of lawsuits. However, both the Archdiocese of Washington DC and the Diocese of Wilmington Delaware have parishes in the state of Maryland and will be subject to the new law.
The Attorney General’s Report named and in some cases, detailed, the history of abuse of Catholic priests covering a span of 80 years. The 1,000 page report named 600 children who were sexually abused by Catholic clergy in that period.
If you or a loved one were sexually abused by a Catholic priest in Maryland, please contact me today for a free and confidential consultation about your case. I am a lawyer dedicated to helping abuse survivors recover and heal.
I have a number of Catholic priest abuse cases throughout the state of New York and am familiar with the church’s inner workings as well as their secret documents. If you or a loved one were abused by a Catholic priest in Maryland, contact me today for a free and confidential consultation.
