BALTIMORE — Victims are reacting to a Baltimore Circuit Court judge pausing all pending lawsuits under Maryland's Child Victims Act (CVA).
The 2023 law eliminated the statute of limitations for victims of child sex abuse to file civil action.
In June the Maryland General Assembly modified the CVA, capping settlements for survivors who filed after June 1.
This caused an unprecedented influx in new cases being filed, prompting a judge to put everything on hold.
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"It's just an unfortunate consequence of the change in the law is that it's going to cause additional delay for survivors," attorney Emily Malarkey told WMAR. “I think most of our clients who we filed their case in time for the deadline are committed to it and willing to wait, but it doesn't make it easy or fair.”
One of Malarkey's clients, who wishes to remain anonymous, says he's in it for the long haul.
Identifying as "Charles Doe," he recalls being only 11- years-old when a clergy member at St. Martin's church abused him in the 1980s.
"I've been patient. I'm gonna be patient more because I've waited this long," Doe said.
As the days tick by, so does the opportunity to face his alleged abuser.
"It's kind of wrecked my life," said Doe. "I honestly think like things of this nature is worse than murder because when you're dead, you're dead. This goes on forever."
"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," Baltimore City's Administrative Circuit Court Judge Audrey J.S. Carrión wrote.
Victims are now awaiting guidance from the Maryland Supreme Court, on how to move their cases forward.
”We’re worried about another rushed attempt to change the rules without taking into account how it's gonna affect the people who are actually working these cases," attorney Ryan Perlin said. "We hope that the outcome is a thoughtful [one] that takes into account both sides of the equation so that we don't rush another bill through, change everything without really knowing the implications of that."
