The heart of yesterday’s legal battle before the Maryland Supreme Court centered on a fundamental principle: the 2017 Child Victims Act that set a 20-year time limit for survivors of child sexual abuse to file lawsuits did not, and could not, bind a future legislature from changing the law to make it right. And that’s …
Ten Frequently Asked Questions About the Status of the Child Victims Act of 2023 (CVA), Including Challenges to Its Constitutionality 1. What is the Maryland Child Victims Act of 2023 (CVA)? The Maryland Child Victims Act (CVA), effective from October 1, 2023, empowers survivors of childhood sexual abuse to pursue civil actions against their abusers …
In a landmark case that could reshape the legal landscape for survivors of childhood sexual abuse, a team of law firms, including Hogan Lovells, Jenner Law, Grant & Eisenhofer, and Baird Mandalas Brockstedt & Federico, have filed the principal brief in support of the constitutionality of the Maryland Child Victims Act. This crucial piece of …
In a historic courtroom, the Archdiocese of Baltimore welcomed six courageous survivors stepped forward to recount their personal tales of trauma, their voices finally heard thanks to the lifting of time limits for lawsuits under Maryland’s Child Victims Act. Among them, our client, Eva Dittrich, at 68 years young, shared her heart-wrenching narrative, defining herself …
It is hard to look back on 2023 and not define it as the year that survivors of childhood sexual abuse in Maryland finally were heard. With the passage of the Maryland Child Victims’ Act of 2023 (“CVA”) in April, adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse now have an opportunity to bring legal claims against …
In the spring of 2023, Maryland Governor Wes Moore signed The Child Victims Act of 2023 into law. With this key legislation, state lawmakers approved providing additional protections for adults who endured sexual abuse as children in Maryland. This includes giving them unlimited time to identify their abusers and pursue civil cases against them. The …
This week, Maryland’s Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee held an historic vote – to finally approve the passage of the Child Victim’s Act of 2023. This bill would allow child victims of sexual abuse, clergy abuse and otherwise, to bring a cause of action against their perpetrators and their institutional accomplices. Most survivors can’t sue past …
It appears to be a new day in Annapolis, as support appears to be building in Annapolis and now online – through a newly-launched online grassroots petition endorsing passage of Maryland’s “long overdue” proposed HB 1, the Child Victims Act of 2023. We support all forms of citizen engagement, the latest of which is the …
Yesterday in Annapolis, the Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee heard presentations by advocates for the reform of Maryland’s statute of limitations for survivors of child sexual assault. I attended the hearing with my paralegal, Mary Beth Diaz, to support the survivors in their quest to achieve transparency, healing, and justice. We met one of our …
In November 2022, the Circut Court of Baltimore City revealed that 158 clergy members from the Archdiocese of Baltimore had sexually abused victims over the past 80 years. The Archdiocese failed to respond appropriately to this crisis. It failed to remove abusive clergy members and covered up instances of sexual abuse. At Jenner Law, we …
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This client portal is for Jenner Law clients and others who have been given authorized access. The material presented is confidential and protected by the Attorney Client Privilege and Attorney Work Product Doctrine. By entering the portal, you agree that you are authorized to have access to this information and that you will keep this information confidential and secure.