Maine legislation permitting older intercourse abuse claims dominated constitutional
For those who or somebody you understand wants sources or help associated to sexual violence, contact the Maine Coalition In opposition to Sexual Assault’s 24/7 hotline at 800-871-7741.
A Maine legislation that lifted a statute of limitations on sexual abuse claims has been dominated constitutional after it was challenged by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland.
Maine eliminated its statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse circumstances in 2000, however that change wasn’t retroactive, so victims couldn’t sue for older crimes. Adjustments to state legislation in 2021 made it attainable for individuals to hunt authorized motion for older claims that beforehand expired.
The diocese steered that the 2021 legislation was unconstitutional by way of retroactive modifications that violate due course of and vested rights within the complaints, which began in November.
Nevertheless, Cumberland County Superior Justice Thomas McKeon dominated on Tuesday that the present circumstances naming the diocese might go ahead, the Portland Press Herald reported.
Up to now, 13 lawsuits have been introduced for the reason that statute of limitations was eradicated altogether. A few of them concentrate on abuse that occurred within the Nineteen Sixties.
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