Latest news with #MarylandChildVictimsAct
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Baltimore judge places temporarily hold on over 1,250 Child Victims Act cases
A Baltimore City Circuit Court judge Monday put on hold over 1,250 civil cases filed under the Maryland Child Victims Act pending further guidance from the state's highest court. The administrative order from Administrative Judge and Chief Judge Audrey J.S. Carrión, sought to 'to address the unprecedented influx of cases filed in recent weeks and months' under the law, which eliminated the statute of limitations for civil child sex abuse cases and went into effect in October 2023. The action won't terminate any cases or keep people from filing new cases under the law, Carrión wrote in the order. 'The decision to stay these cases is in large part due to ongoing discussions about possible ways to manage these cases collectively for pretrial and discovery purposes,' she wrote. The Maryland Judiciary's rules committee is considering recommending changes to the state's high court 'to establish a clear process for the circuit courts to efficiently manage the high volume of similarly situated CVA cases,' the order says. The court will wait for 'further guidance' from the rules committee and the Supreme Court of Maryland before the cases can proceed. 'In reaching the decision to temporarily stay these cases, the Court has weighed the understandable desire of parties to proceed with litigating these cases as well as the need for consistency, efficiency, and fairness,' Carrión's order says. An change to the law came into effect June 1, placing new limits on the payouts possible, with the state's liability dropping from a potential $890,000 to $400,000 per claim. Claims against private institutions shrank from a $1.15 million ceiling to $700,000. Leading up to June 1, 'there was a significant uptick in cases' under the law in Baltimore City Circuit Court, the order says. Sun reporter Luke Parker contributed to this story. Have a news tip? Contact Racquel Bazos at rbazos@ 443-813-0770 or on X as @rzbworks.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
85 new child sex abuse suits filed against Maryland juvenile detention system, firm says
BALTIMORE — Dozens more child sex abuse claims were filed against the state Thursday, according to a law firm, adding to the thousands of lawsuits alleging misconduct in Maryland's juvenile detention facilities. In a statement posted online, the New York-based firm Levy Konigsberg said with the 85 complaints initiated last week, their organization has put forward more than 650 cases against the state Department of Juvenile Services alone. The accusations, they said, span decades, from the 1970s through 2018. 'It is both appalling and disappointing to our clients that the State of Maryland has refused to take any responsibility for this horrific sexual abuse,' Levy Konigsberg partner Jerome Block said in a statement. Monday's lawsuits were filed during a five-week legal crunch before newly approved caps on child sex abuse claims take effect in Maryland. The caps, proposed in response to a $3.3 billion deficit in the state's budget, will cut the compensation possible for victims by more than half. Starting June 1, damages on claims against the state will max out at $400,000, dropping from $890,000. And claims against private institutions will hit a $700,000 ceiling, as opposed to $1.15 million. The deadline has forced many lawyers and firms to question whether they'll be able to take on similar claims in the future. Several have said between the cost to investigate and the mandated reduction in their fees, they cannot. Others also worry that the strain of a civil suit, compared to smaller compensation, will discourage victims from coming forward. 'Instead of supporting survivors, the State has callously attempted to revoke vested rights provided by the Maryland Child Victims Act,' Konigsberg said. 'These survivors will not be ignored, they will not be silenced, and they will not allow unconstitutional tort reform efforts stop them from obtaining full justice and accountability.' The Maryland Department of Juvenile Services was not immediately available for comment Monday. _____
CBS News
26-04-2025
- CBS News
85 more people file lawsuits alleging sexual abuse in Maryland juvenile detention facilities
Eighty-five more people have filed lawsuits alleging they were sexually abused while in custody in Maryland's juvenile detention system, according to a law firm. The lawsuits, filed by New York-based firm Levy Konigsberg, allege that survivors suffered repeated abuse at one of 12 juvenile detention facilities in the state. The latest court filings add to 565 previous lawsuits that were filed in the past year and a half, the law firm said. "It is both appalling and disappointing to our clients that the State of Maryland has refused to take any responsibility for this horrific sexual abuse," law firm Partner Jerome Block said. 650 lawsuits allege abuse in Maryland juvenile detention centers According to the law firm, the 650 lawsuits have exposed cases of abuse that occurred between the 1970s and 2018. "These cases demonstrate that this was not an isolated or historic issue, but a persistent, generational crisis," attorneys said. According to the firm, the juvenile detention system has delayed or ignored reform despite investigations, warnings and reports that revealed abusive staff and invasive strip searches. Survivors allege that the instances of sexual abuse were carried out by officers, counselors, teachers, managers and other staff members. "The Maryland Department of Juvenile Services, entrusted with protecting these children, instead enabled an environment of silence and suffering," attorneys said in a statement. Lawsuits filed under Maryland Child Victims Act The 650 lawsuits were filed under the Maryland Child Victims Act, a 2023 law that eliminated the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse survivors and allowed them to receive a payout of $890,000 for each claim. The latest round of lawsuits came just after Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed a bill into law that limits the amount of settlement money that a survivor can get. State lawmakers who introduced the bill argued that there needed to be a balance between compensating survivors and not bankrupting the state. Since the Maryland Child Victims Act went into effect, about 4,500 victims have filed claims, lawmakers said in early April.
CBS News
18-03-2025
- CBS News
Maryland sexual assault survivor tells story about abuse inside juvenile facility
A growing number of alleged victims are coming forward saying they were abused in Maryland juvenile facilities over several decades, and some are suing for compensation. Their advocates say the abuse scandal could rival that facing the Catholic church . The flood of lawsuits started when Maryland removed the statute of limitations on filing these cases . WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren spoke to an alleged victim who is set to address a rally near Baltimore City Hall on Wednesday. "At 14 years old, all you want to do is go home, so what do you do? You stay quiet and you shut up," abuse survivor Nalisha Gibbs told WJZ Investigates. Gibbs is done being quiet, opening up about repeated sexual abuse she says she suffered as a child in 1989 and 1990 at the state-run Thomas Waxter Children's Center in Laurel , which has since closed. Investigator Mike Hellgren asked Gibbs about her message to other survivors. "That it's OK to come forward," Gibbs said. "It's OK to scream until you are heard. You deserve to be heard and you deserve your story to be told, and you deserve the healing that comes from it as well." According to her complaint against the state, Gibbs was sexually assaulted daily by a female staff member, then threatened that she would never go home if she reported the abuse. "She called me a throwaway," Gibbs said. "They wouldn't believe me because I'm a 'throwaway.' That's what she referred to children like me. We were throwaways to society pretty much." Jubi Williams, the victim advocate with the law firm Levy Konigsberg representing Gibbs said her client "was physically confined, abused and then these threats confined her even more—so she was too scared. She didn't trust anybody." Gibbs is one of 24 victims listed in just one lawsuit. Since the Maryland Child Victims Act lifted time limits on legal claims, more than 3,500 victims have sued Maryland. Some in the General Assembly are pushing this session for caps on damages. "The attorney general has gone so far as to dismiss some of these cases," said Jerry Block, also with the law firm who represents Gibbs. Block told WJZ the volume of abuse could dwarf that within the Archdiocese of Baltimore . "This sexual abuse goes beyond what the attorney general uncovered with the Catholic church in Maryland," Block said. "The children were sexually abused while they were in custody. These children had nowhere to run to. They had nowhere to hide. The perpetrators had the keys to their rooms." Gibbs hopes sharing her story stops the stigma. "Even when you're shaken and you think nobody else is really listening to you, still say something—say something because we're going to listen to you and we believe in you, and your voice is important," Gibbs said. The Department of Juvenile Services issued the following statement to WJZ Investigates: "DJS takes allegations of sexual abuse of children in our care with utmost seriousness and we are working hard to provide decent, humane and rehabilitative environments for youth committed to the Department. DJS notes that all the claims brought under the Maryland Child Victims Act involve allegations from many decades ago. Beyond that, DJS will not comment on this pending litigation." A rally is set for at 11 a.m. on Wednesday at War Memorial Plaza near Baltimore City Hall.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Yahoo
Additional Plaintiffs Join Ring Boys Lawsuit Against WWE, Vince And Linda McMahon
There has been a new update in the ring boys lawsuit against WWE, Vince McMahon, and Linda McMahon. As previously reported, the Maryland Supreme Court ruled that the Child Victims Act was constitutional. This allowed the ring boys lawsuit against WWE, Vince McMahon, and Linda McMahon to continue. The suit was filed on behalf of five individuals who previously worked for WWE, and they alleged that they were sexually abused by former announcer Mel Phillips during their time in WWE, and the company knew and did nothing to stop or prevent it. 'In an update, DiCello Levitt issued a press release about the continuation of the lawsuit and noted that additional plaintiffs have been added to it. (H/t POST Wrestling) The underaged Ring Boys were groomed, exploited, and sexually abused by Phillips, who targeted children from broken homes. His sexual assaults occurred not only at the wrestling venues, but also in hotel rooms and other locations where Phillips would shuttle the boys in plain sight. Defendants were aware of the systemic and pervasive abuse but did not prevent or stop it. The FBI previously identified at least 10 Ring Boys abused by Phillips, but there are likely countless others who have suffered in silence for decades. Since the lawsuit was filed in October, additional survivors have come forward to seek justice and accountability for what happened to them. Monday's decision allows the case to proceed.' McMahon's attorney previously said the lawsuit was 'baseless' and claimed that it was 'filled with scurrilous lies, exaggerations, and misrepresentations.' POST Wrestling also shared a statement from the plaintiffs' lawyer Greg Gutzler, who commented on the Maryland Supreme Court's decision. 'The Maryland Supreme Court's decision upholding the Maryland Child Victims Act, effectively eliminating any statute of limitations on child sex abuse lawsuits, is the right one, and we hope other states will follow Maryland's lead,' said DiCello Levitt Partner Greg Gutzler who is leading the lawsuit against the WWE, McMahons, and TKO. 'Survivors of sexual assault, especially children, often do not come forward for years or even decades after the abuse occurred. This delayed disclosure happens for numerous reasons—shame, fear, or manipulation—and it has too often prevented survivors from ever seeking justice and getting accountability. It also has allowed perpetrators to continue hurting countless innocent people.' 'My clients' lives were destroyed by the defendants who allowed and enabled the open, rampant sexual abuse to occur for years. The abuse inflicted on my clients was inexcusable; they were mere children and had the right to expect that WWE executives would take action to protect them from the predators working within the WWE. We will bring light to their truth and fight for accountability and justice.' WrestleZone will provide more information as it becomes available. The post Additional Plaintiffs Join Ring Boys Lawsuit Against WWE, Vince And Linda McMahon appeared first on Wrestlezone.
