Legislators Warn Against Any Attempt to Deprive Sexual Assault Survivors of Legal Rights

TRENTON –  Senator Joe Vitale was joined by Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, Senator Nick Scutari, Assemblywoman Annette Quijano, Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle and Assemblywoman Mila M. Jasey in issuing the following statement on the attempt by the Camden Diocese to reduce the timeline for the statute of limitations on sexual assault lawsuits as part of the diocese’s bankruptcy filing:

“My colleagues and I have been closely following the bankruptcy filing by the Camden Diocese. It is imperative that this filing does not impede access to justice for survivors of sexual assault at the hands of members of the Camden Diocese. The 2019 law which expanded the statute of limitations for sexual assault, and created a two-year window by which survivors of any age could file their suit, is the law of this State. Survivors very clearly have until November 30, 2021 to file their suit without any age restrictions.

“The Camden Diocese is now requesting that, as a part of their bankruptcy process, sexual assault survivors only have until February 26, 2021 to file their claims. This deprives them of eight months that they were previously granted to file their suits. No single bankruptcy process should be able to shorten the timeline established by the 2019 law.

“Any decisions regarding this bankruptcy filing must affirm the rights of survivors and ensure they have until November 30, 2021 to file their claims, as is required by statute.”