Brigette Honaker  |  June 1, 2019

Category: Legal News

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Priest in handcuffsUPDATE:  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!

Recent changes in state law mean that New Jersey Catholic Church sex abuse victims will be more free to take legal action against their abusers.

On May 13, New Jersey governor Phil Murphy signed a law into effect that will allow child victims of sexual abuse or assault to take legal action until they turn 55 or within seven years of realizing that past sexual abuse caused harm. Another feature of the new law is the two year period during which victims can bring legal claims if they were previously denied due to the statutes of limitations. These changes will go into effect on Dec. 1, 2019.

“Survivors of sexual abuse deserve opportunities to seek redress against their abusers,” Murphy said, according to North Jersey. “This legislation allows survivors who have faced tremendous trauma the ability to pursue justice through the court system.”

This new law is a drastic improvement over previous New Jersey sexual assault laws which enforced two year statutes of limitations. Under these laws, even child victims were only allowed to take legal action until they turned 20.

New Jersey’s new law comes at the right time as allegations continue to pile against the Catholic Churches in the state. Last year, several shocking reports revealed the true depth of the sexual abuse scandal in the church.

According to North Jersey, in February 2019, dioceses in New Jersey released a list of 188 priests and deacons who had been credibly accused of sexual abuse. Of this number, 79 of the offending priests reportedly remain alive and some of the offenders may have had multiple victims.

One notable name on the New Jersey list was Cardinal Theodore McCarrick who previously served as the leader for the Metuchen diocese, Newark archdiocese, and Washington D.C. archdiocese. McCarrick is the highest ranking Catholic official in America to be defrocked, with the Pope accepting his resignation last year. His name appeared on the list released by the Archdiocese of Newark.

A full list of names identified by the archdiocese and four dioceses in New Jersey is available on the New Jersey Catholic Church Conference website.

Unfortunately, the New Jersey Catholic Church has been opposed to the bill for years. The dioceses in the state argue that the new sex abuse law would allow individuals to bring legal claims even if they lacked strong evidence, meaning that the church’s finances may suffer.

“While we disagreed on specific elements of this legislation, the Catholic community, the Legislature and the governor sincerely agree on one key position — the need to restore justice for the victims of sexual abuse in New Jersey,” the Archdiocese of Newark said in a statement, according to North Jersey.

“The Catholic community is confident that the Independent Victims Compensation Program established by the five dioceses in New Jersey is a significant step towards restoring justice for those who, as minors, were abused by ministers of the Church. Further, we are committed to the comprehensive healing of those harmed and we will continue our policies aimed at protecting children from abuse.”

If you or a loved one was sexually abused by a Catholic priest or clergy in any of the five Catholic dioceses in New Jersey, you may be entitled to compensation. Learn more by filling out the form on this page for a FREE case evaluation.

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This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.

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