Latest news with #ChildVictimsAct
CBS News
3 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Baltimore judge places temporary pause on filings of Child Victims Act lawsuits due to caseload
Baltimore judge places temporary halt to filings of Child Victims Act lawsuits due to caseload Baltimore judge places temporary halt to filings of Child Victims Act lawsuits due to caseload Baltimore judge places temporary halt to filings of Child Victims Act lawsuits due to caseload A Baltimore judge has put a temporary pause on filings of Child Victims Act lawsuits due to a large influx of lawsuits, according to The Baltimore Banner. According to a five-page order, more than 1,250 lawsuits have been filed in Baltimore Circuit Court under the Child Victims Act of 2023. The Act removed time limits for victims of sexual abuse seeking to take legal action. Child Victims Act revisions take effect On June 1, changes to the Child Victims Act took effect. Due to a revision made to the law in April, Sexual abuse survivors in Maryland now face monetary caps on court compensation after revisions to the Child Victims Act took effect Sunday. The bill limits payouts for abuse claims involving public institutions to $400,000 and claims against private institutions to $700,000. Attorney fees are also capped at 20% for cases settled out of court and 25% for cases that go to trial. Ongoing sex abuse lawsuits against institutions in Maryland A new lawsuit announced Monday claimed a Baltimore City Public School teacher sexually assaulted students in the 1970s. The lawsuit, filed by Baltimore-based law firm Murphy, Falcon & Murphy, accuses the school district of allowing special education teacher Alvin Hunt to abuse students in the late 1970s and early 1980s. One victim was left with severe trauma, and another, pregnant, as a result of the abuse, according to the lawsuit. More than 650 lawsuits have been filed, alleging abuse at Maryland juvenile detention centers between the 1970s and 2018. According to the lawsuits, the juvenile detention system delayed or ignored reform despite investigations, warnings, and reports of abusive staff and invasive strip searches. In April, a group of Maryland attorneys said they were filing lawsuits on behalf of survivors of sexual abuse at Calvert Hall College High School, an all-boys Catholic school in Baltimore County. The Archdiocese of Baltimore faces hundreds of lawsuits from victims who said they were abused by priests, teachers and employees under the church's supervision.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Ad campaign urges Gov. Hochul to force insurers to pay for thousands of cases of sex abuse claims under New York's Child Victims Act
An ad campaign is pressuring Gov. Kathy Hochul to force insurance companies to pay claims to thousands of alleged sexual assault victims on behalf of churches, hospitals, schools, Boy Scouts troops and other employers they represent under the Child Victims Act. The victims who were allegedly abused as children decades ago sued the various organizations they claimed allowed the abuse to happen decades later under the New York State Child Victims Act of 2019. But many cases are tied up in court, with insurers of the defendants refusing to make payments on behalf of their clients, including the Catholic Church and other defendants, according to the group behind the ads, The Coalition for Just and Compassionate Compensation. The group is bankrolled by allies of the Catholic Church, among others. Hochul's Department of Financial Services is supposed to help enforce the law, advocates said. 'Who turns their back on over 14,000 survivors of child sex abuse? Our Kathy Hochul. She stands with her big insurance buddies denying responsibility while donating to her campaign,' the narrator in the 30-second cable TV ad playing in Albany and upstate media markets says. The ad shows headlines of the Buffalo Diocese shuttering 10 churches. Hochul, according to the ad, has received $578,000 in campaign contributions from the insurance lobby. 'Survivors suffer — and justice stalls,' the ad says. 'Gov. Hochul has the power to act,' it continues. 'Demand she enforce the law. Make Big insurance pay, not the survivors.' Sex abuse victims also cried foul. 'Six years ago, survivors were promised that the Child Victims Act would hold abusers and enablers accountable,' said Steve Jimenez, a survivor and CJCC trustee. 'Instead, we're still waiting — while Governor Hochul cashes checks from big insurance. Enforce the law, Governor. Do your job.' A rep for Hochul slammed the advocacy group for trying to drag her into a payment dispute in court proceedings involving organizations such as the Catholic Church and insurance companies over who is liable to foot the bill to compensate child sex abuse victims. 'Governor Hochul has repeatedly demonstrated her commitment to survivors of sexual assault, signing new laws and investing record funding to support this vulnerable community,' said Hochul spokesman Avi Small. 'It's ludicrous for this organization to weaponize the pain of survivors in a cynical attempt to pull this Administration into a contractual dispute between two private entities.' The state Department of Financial Services, in a statement, said of the criticism, 'We are actively monitoring ongoing litigation as the courts seek to answer important legal questions about insurers' contractual liabilities and will hold insurers accountable for their obligations as appropriate.'
New York Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Ad campaign urges Gov. Hochul to force insurers to pay for thousands of cases of sex abuse claims under New York's Child Victims Act
An ad campaign is pressuring Gov. Kathy Hochul to force insurance companies to pay claims to thousands of alleged sexual assault victims on behalf of churches, hospitals, schools, Boy Scouts troops and other employers they represent under the Child Victims Act. The victims who were allegedly abused as children decades ago sued the various organizations they claimed allowed the abuse to happen decades later under the New York State Child Victims Act of 2019. But many cases are tied up in court, with insurers of the defendants refusing to make payments on behalf of their clients, including the Catholic Church and other defendants, according to the group behind the ads, The Coalition for Just and Compassionate Compensation. An ad campaign is calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul to force insurance companies to pay settlements to victims of sexual abuse claimed under the New York State Child Victims Act of 2019. Lev Radin/ZUMA / The group is bankrolled by allies of the Catholic Church, among others. Hochul's Department of Financial Services is supposed to help enforce the law, advocates said. 'Who turns their back on over 14,000 survivors of child sex abuse? Our Kathy Hochul. She stands with her big insurance buddies denying responsibility while donating to her campaign,' the narrator in the 30-second cable TV ad playing in Albany and upstate media markets says. The ad shows headlines of the Buffalo Diocese shuttering 10 churches. Hochul, according to the ad, has received $578,000 in campaign contributions from the insurance lobby. 'Survivors suffer — and justice stalls,' the ad says. 'Gov. Hochul has the power to act,' it continues. 'Demand she enforce the law. Make Big insurance pay, not the survivors.' Sex abuse victims also cried foul. 'Six years ago, survivors were promised that the Child Victims Act would hold abusers and enablers accountable,' said Steve Jimenez, a survivor and CJCC trustee. 'Instead, we're still waiting — while Governor Hochul cashes checks from big insurance. Enforce the law, Governor. Do your job.' A rep for Hochul slammed the advocacy group for trying to drag her into a payment dispute in court proceedings involving organizations such as the Catholic Church and insurance companies over who is liable to foot the bill to compensate child sex abuse victims. 'Governor Hochul has repeatedly demonstrated her commitment to survivors of sexual assault, signing new laws and investing record funding to support this vulnerable community,' said Hochul spokesman Avi Small. 'It's ludicrous for this organization to weaponize the pain of survivors in a cynical attempt to pull this Administration into a contractual dispute between two private entities.' The state Department of Financial Services, in a statement, said of the criticism, 'We are actively monitoring ongoing litigation as the courts seek to answer important legal questions about insurers' contractual liabilities and will hold insurers accountable for their obligations as appropriate.'
4 days ago
Baltimore schools sued for failing to protect students from a predatory teacher
BALTIMORE -- Three women are suing Baltimore's public school system, alleging they were sexually abused by a special education teacher decades ago while administrators failed to protect students from his predatory behavior. One of the plaintiffs was 14 when she alleges the teacher, whom the lawsuit names as Alvin Hunt, raped and impregnated her, according to the complaint. At a news conference Monday morning, attorneys for the women said school officials knew about the abuse and allowed it to continue. They said Hunt would lure students to his house under the pretense of after-school tutoring. The allegations contained in the lawsuits occurred in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Attempts to reach Hunt were unsuccessful. A message seeking comment was left for a spokesperson for Baltimore City Public Schools. The lawsuits add to a growing pile of child sexual abuse claims filed in Maryland since the state eliminated its statute of limitations for such cases. Lawmakers approved the Child Victims Act in 2023 with abuse findings against the Catholic Church in mind, but its impacts have extended well beyond religious institutions. The state's juvenile justice system in particular is facing widespread reckoning after thousands of victims came forward. Pamela Coleman said she gave birth to Hunt's daughter after he drugged and raped her. Hunt offered the teen a ride home from school and gave her a cigarette laced with an illicit substance that caused her to lose consciousness, her complaint says. 'My childhood and teen years was just ripped from me,' Coleman said at the news conference. She said her mother reported the abuse and administrators transferred her to another school after learning she was pregnant. The AP doesn't typically identify victims of abuse unless they want to be named. Attorneys said Hunt, who was also a sports coach, never faced prosecution or accountability for his actions. Instead, he retired from the school system after a long career. He is not named as a defendant in the lawsuits, which were filed against the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners. 'This abuse was not just known, it was normalized,' said attorney Janai Woodhouse with the Baltimore law firm Murphy, Falcon & Murphy. 'This wasn't hidden. It was tolerated.' She said the Child Victims Act allows abuse survivors the time they need to come forward, often decades later. Before its passage, victims couldn't sue after they turned 38. The three plaintiffs were young and vulnerable when they were abused by someone they trusted, their attorneys said. 'You can imagine the amount of psychological trauma that was inflicted here. So it took some time,' Woodhouse said. 'But they gathered the courage to come to us and they're ready to seek justice now.' According to the lawsuit filed on behalf of Collette Lee, she went to Hunt's house for tutoring with another special education student. He cornered her and tried to assault her, but she says she managed to escape. 'I was able to run,' she said during the news conference. 'I've been running for a long time. I'm tired. I want justice.'
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Baltimore schools sued for failing to protect students from a predatory teacher
BALTIMORE (AP) — Three women are suing Baltimore's public school system, alleging they were sexually abused by a special education teacher decades ago while administrators failed to protect students from his predatory behavior. One of the plaintiffs was 14 when she alleges the teacher, whom the lawsuit names as Alvin Hunt, raped and impregnated her, according to the complaint. At a news conference Monday morning, attorneys for the women said school officials knew about the abuse and allowed it to continue. They said Hunt would lure students to his house under the pretense of after-school tutoring. The allegations contained in the lawsuits occurred in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Attempts to reach Hunt were unsuccessful. A message seeking comment was left for a spokesperson for Baltimore City Public Schools. The lawsuits add to a growing pile of child sexual abuse claims filed in Maryland since the state eliminated its statute of limitations for such cases. Lawmakers approved the Child Victims Act in 2023 with abuse findings against the Catholic Church in mind, but its impacts have extended well beyond religious institutions. The state's juvenile justice system in particular is facing widespread reckoning after thousands of victims came forward. Pamela Coleman said she gave birth to Hunt's daughter after he drugged and raped her. Hunt offered the teen a ride home from school and gave her a cigarette laced with an illicit substance that caused her to lose consciousness, her complaint says. 'My childhood and teen years was just ripped from me,' Coleman said at the news conference. She said her mother reported the abuse and administrators transferred her to another school after learning she was pregnant. The AP doesn't typically identify victims of abuse unless they want to be named. Attorneys said Hunt, who was also a sports coach, never faced prosecution or accountability for his actions. Instead, he retired from the school system after a long career. He is not named as a defendant in the lawsuits, which were filed against the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners. 'This abuse was not just known, it was normalized,' said attorney Janai Woodhouse with the Baltimore law firm Murphy, Falcon & Murphy. 'This wasn't hidden. It was tolerated.' She said the Child Victims Act allows abuse survivors the time they need to come forward, often decades later. Before its passage, victims couldn't sue after they turned 38. The three plaintiffs were young and vulnerable when they were abused by someone they trusted, their attorneys said. 'You can imagine the amount of psychological trauma that was inflicted here. So it took some time,' Woodhouse said. 'But they gathered the courage to come to us and they're ready to seek justice now.' According to the lawsuit filed on behalf of Collette Lee, she went to Hunt's house for tutoring with another special education student. He cornered her and tried to assault her, but she says she managed to escape. 'I was able to run,' she said during the news conference. 'I've been running for a long time. I'm tired. I want justice.' The lawsuits were filed Friday in state court. The plaintiffs are seeking punitive damages. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
