Justice late, not denied: New York to allow old abuse suits

ALBANY, N.Y. — Thousands of people who say they were molested as children in New York state will head to court this week to file lawsuits against their alleged abusers and the institutions where they worked.

It’s because of a new law that creates a one-year window for molestation lawsuits that had previously been barred by the statute of limitations.

Earlier this year, lawmakers extended the statute of limitations going forward and created the litigation window to victims of past abuse a chance to sue, even if the abuse occurred decades ago.

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Large institutions that care for children such as the Catholic Church and the Boy Scouts are expected to be named as defendants, along with a long list of smaller groups and individuals.

David Klepper, The Associated Press