UPDATE:  On December 1, 2019, the New Jersey Sexual Abuse Survivor Law went into effect. This law opens up a two-year window for sexual abuse survivors to file lawsuits, regardless of when the abuse took place. Read more here!

Catholic churches in New Jersey formed the New Jersey Compensation Fund for Victims of Church Sexual Abuse of Minors to process claims of sexual misconduct and procure settlements to victims who must agree not to sue the church.

The New Jersey fund followed a similar setup to that used by New York’s Catholic churches in their own fund. The New York fund reportedly paid up to $500,000 per victim. The settlement money is to be paid by the accused priest’s diocese.

As of Jan. 30, 2020, the program had either paid out or authorized to pay more than $11 million in settlements to 69 New Jersey survivors, according to NJ.com. At that time, there were still more than 400 cases left to review. The fund closed on Jan. 31, 2020.

The New Jersey Compensation Fund is now closed, but similar funds have opened or may open elsewhere in the country. Sexual abuse survivors who were victimized by priests who worked in the participating churches or other organizations could benefit from speaking with an experienced lawyer before entering into any settlement conferences. The right lawyer can help potential claimants decide whether accepting a payment from a compensation fund is the best decision in each individual case.

The formation of the fund was announced just as the New Jersey legislature began debating a bill that would extend the length of time victims and survivors are allowed to file civil lawsuits in New Jersey, one of the many effects of the Catholic Church sexual abuse scandal that surfaced several years ago and keeps resurfacing in the news as more and more information is uncovered.

Previously-expired cases of sex abuse at Catholic churches in New Jersey

The previous New Jersey law only had a two-year statute of limitations for childhood victims of sexual assault to file charges. The new legislation, S-477, enables those survivors to file a civil lawsuit until they turn 55 years old, or seven years after realizing they were victims of childhood abuse, whichever is later.

The new bill also introduces a two-year period, known as a “look-back window,” for victims of abuse to file a lawsuit if their case had expired under the old two-year statute of limitations. Adult victims of sexual assault also would have seven years to file a civil lawsuit instead of only two years as it stands now. New Jersey is one of several states to have recently expanded their sexual abuse laws.

S-477 allows survivors to file a child sex abuse lawsuit against the institutions that protected the abusers “due to negligent hiring, supervision or retention of an employee, agent or servant of a nonprofit corporation, society or association organized exclusively for religious, charitable, educational or hospital purposes,” according to Yahoo Finance.

The bill also helps victims win their cases against the Catholic churches in New Jersey and other nonprofit organizations in the Garden State when lawsuits are filed for sexual abuse that happened prior to 2006. That was the year the New Jersey Supreme Court and a state law loosened the restrictions on the evidence victims must present to prove charitable organizations were guilty of negligence.

After the passing of S-477, even now that the New Jersey Compensation Fund is closed, survivors of childhood sexual abuse have chance to seek justice and compensation by filing a lawsuit to hold churches accountable.

Filing a New Jersey Catholic sexual abuse lawsuit

A growing number of people are coming forward with allegations of sexual abuse within the Catholic church in New Jersey — not just against the alleged perpetrator, but against the organization as well, alleging it failed to protect them, and in some cases, actively covered up the abuse. Under New Jersey’s new sexual abuse laws, survivors have more time to come forward.

If you or someone you love has suffered from sexual assault within the Catholic church in New Jersey, you may be able to file a lawsuit. Of course, filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by abuse, but it can at least help to provide compensation and help those responsible for this abuse accountable for their actions and inactions.

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experience attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.