If you or a loved one experienced clergy sexual abuse in New Jersey, you now have more opportunity than ever before to seek justice. Under a new law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy in 2019, sexual abuse survivors have more time to file lawsuits against the perpetrators and the institutions that protected them.

Historically, many sexual abuse survivors have been blocked from filing civil lawsuits against their abusers due to the state’s narrow statute of limitations. These laws prohibited sexual abuse survivors from pursuing legal action after two years from the time of the alleged abuse. Likewise, victims of childhood sexual abuse only had until the age of 20 to take legal action.

If you are a survivor of clergy abuse, you are not alone. We are here to help sexual abuse survivors of all ages. Contacting us is completely free, and your personal information will be kept private. Take action today by calling or filling out the form on this page.

New Jersey’s new sex abuse law, which will go into effect on Dec. 1, 2019, expands the statute of limitations and the categories of potential defendants in civil actions for child sexual abuse claims. In general, under the new law:

• Survivors of childhood sex abuse will now have up until the age of 55 to sue their abusers, or within seven years of discovering their injuries were caused by past abuse.
• Survivors of any age who were previously denied the opportunity to sue their abusers due to the state’s statute of limitations laws, will now have a two-year window, starting December 1, to bring civil claims.

With its new law, New Jersey becomes the 11th state to pass an expanded statute of limitations bill that addresses the historically widespread sexual abuse within the Catholic church. In other states, similar legislation is now pending.

There is a renewed sense of hope among survivors of sexual abuse by members of the New Jersey clergy, because the new law is the result of survivors and advocates banding together and speaking out — bravely sharing their stories and promoting much-needed support of such an important bill.

If you are a clergy sexual abuse survivor, you may be entitled to compensation from the Catholic Church. You may also be entitled to compensation if you are the close relative — such as a parent or spouse — of someone who was sexually abused and is now deceased. The pathway toward justice and compensation has never been this accessible for survivors of abuse.

Opening up about sexual abuse can be extremely difficult, but it is the first and most-critical step in the healing process. By filing a lawsuit, you will not only be sending a message to your abuser and his institution, you will also be helping to prevent similar acts of abuse from happening in the future. Get in touch with us today to learn more.