"acutely aware that victims of child sex abuse are some of the most vulnerable victims who deserve all the protections and remedies available in our judicial system,"
"It is one thing in a debt collection case to claim a right based on the passage of time to keep one's books in order,"
"It is another thing altogether to claim freedom from accountability for one's part on the rape of a child because enough"
"the product of God's love and all part of His plan."
The New Hampshire Supreme Court ruled that the state's 2020 law abolishing deadlines for sexual-assault lawsuits cannot be applied retroactively. Randy Ball sued the Roman Catholic Bishop of Manchester in 2023, alleging rape by a priest at a 1970s summer camp. Under the law at the time, Ball had only until he turned 20 in 1986 to file suit. The 2020 amendment removed the statute of limitations but did not specify retroactivity; the court held retroactive application would violate the state Constitution by stripping a private party's vested right to a statute-of-limitations defense. Justices acknowledged victims' vulnerability while emphasizing constitutional interpretation. Ball's attorneys argued delayed reporting was understandable and urged balancing the diocese's vested defense against Ball's right to recourse.
#statute-of-limitations #child-sex-abuse #new-hampshire-supreme-court #religious-institution-liability
Read at Boston.com
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