Maryland courts reopen over 1,200 child abuse cases after legal pause.
After a months-long pause, Maryland’s courts have reopened the door for more than 1,200 child sexual abuse lawsuits to proceed. The move follows a lifted order by Baltimore City’s Circuit Court that had temporarily halted all civil cases filed under Maryland’s Child Victims Act, or CVA. The ruling marks an important step forward for survivors who have waited years, and in some cases decades, to have their claims heard.
The Child Victims Act, passed two years ago by Maryland’s General Assembly, removed the statute of limitations for victims of child sexual abuse. The law gave survivors the right to file civil suits regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred, a major shift from prior rules that had blocked many older claims. However, growing budget concerns led lawmakers to revise the law in April. The revision placed limits on financial settlements—$700,000 for cases against private entities and $400,000 for cases involving state-run facilities.
Earlier this year, the Maryland Supreme Court confirmed the law’s constitutionality, removing one of the largest legal hurdles survivors faced. But the court system soon found itself overwhelmed by the surge in new filings. Baltimore City Administrative Circuit Court Judge Audrey J.S. Carrión responded by pausing all active cases to better manage the high volume. During that period, the court developed a plan to organize the complex docket by assigning specific judges to different types of cases based on where the alleged abuse occurred.
On Friday, that stay was officially lifted. With the new structure in place, the pending lawsuits—many involving religious institutions, schools, and state agencies—can now begin moving toward hearings and trials. For survivors and their attorneys, it represents not just progress but a long-awaited chance at accountability.
A law firm representing several victims, Brockstedt Mandalas Federico, called the court’s decision an important milestone for those who have been waiting to share their stories. The firm noted that lifting the stay allows for critical next steps such as discovery and pre-trial motions, paving the way for cases to be heard after years of delay.
The path to this point has been lengthy and complex. When Maryland lawmakers first advanced the CVA, supporters argued that it gave voice to survivors who had been silenced by time limits that favored institutions over individuals. Opponents raised concerns about the financial implications for both public and private organizations facing a flood of lawsuits. Those concerns grew as the state faced a major budget shortfall, prompting revisions that capped payouts to manage potential costs.
Despite those limits, advocates have said the law still represents a major victory for justice. For many survivors, financial awards are secondary to having their stories acknowledged and institutions held accountable for past negligence or coverups. The latest court action restores momentum after months of uncertainty, signaling that Maryland’s legal system is now ready to confront the backlog of abuse claims and begin delivering long-overdue answers.
With more than 1,200 active cases now back in motion, the coming months are expected to bring significant movement in courtrooms across the state. Each case will follow its own timeline, but collectively they represent a broader societal shift toward transparency and responsibility. Survivors who once thought their cases would never be heard now have another chance to seek closure through the legal process.
Sources:
Court lifts order allowing more than 1,200 Child Victims Act lawsuits to proceed
Judge pauses 1,269 lawsuits filed under Maryland Child Victims Act
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