Civil Action Statute Of Limitations Sexual Assault

Under existing law, the statute of limitations to bring a civil claim based on sexual assault or a sexual offense against a child is 6 years, but the statute is tolled when the victim is a person under disability or is in a special relationship with the perpetrator of the assault. The bill defines sexual misconduct and removes the limitation on bringing a civil claim based on sexual misconduct, including derivative claims and claims brought against a person or entity that is not the perpetrator of the sexual misconduct. The statutory period to commence a civil action described in the bill applies to a cause of action that accrues on or after January 1, 2021, or a cause of action accruing prior to January 1, 2021, so long as the applicable statute of limitations has not yet run as of January 1, 2021.

The bill removes the provision that a plaintiff who is a victim of a series of sexual assaults does not need to establish which act in the series caused the plaintiff's injuries.

Under existing law, a plaintiff who brings a civil action alleging sexual misconduct 15 years or more after the plaintiff turns 18 is limited to recovering only certain damages. The bill eliminates this restriction.

Under existing law, a victim who is a person under disability or is in a special relationship with the perpetrator of the assault may not bring an action against a defendant who is deceased or incapacitated. The bill eliminates this restriction.

Under existing law, a claim for negligence in the practice of medicine that is based on a sexual assault is exempt from the statute of limitation for claims involving sexual assault and instead is subject to the same limitation as any other claim for negligence in the practice of medicine. The bill removes this exemption.

(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)