Wednesday, May 15, 2019

New Jersey Governor Signs Statute of Limitations Extension For Sex Abuse Claims

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday signed S. 477 (full text) (Governor's signing statement) (press release). The new law extends the statute of limitations for suits for sex abuse of claims by minors and adults. The accompanying statement of the Senate Judiciary Committee explains the new law's complex provisions in detail.  It summarizes the changes as follows:
This substitute bill would extend the statute of limitations in civil actions for sexual abuse claims, as well as create a two-year window for parties to bring previously time-barred actions based on sexual abuse. The bill would also expand the categories of potential defendants in civil actions, and for some actions permit retroactive application of standards of liability to past acts of abuse for which liability did not previously exist.