These Child Sex Abuse Victims Had An Opportunity to Get Justice. The Louisiana Supreme Court Took It Away.
These Child Sex Abuse Victims Had An Opportunity to Get Justice. The Louisiana Supreme Court Took It Away.
In the post-MeToo era, "look-back windows" have become a popular tool for adult survivors to sue over crimes committed years in the past.
In 2021, Zack finally got a second chance at justice, when the Louisiana state legislature passed a three-year “look-back window” that allowed victims of child sex abuse to file civil suits over crimes that occurred many years in the past. He began preparing to file his claim before the deadline the legislature had imposed in June 2024. But then, this March, before Zack was able to file his suit, the Louisiana Supreme Court struck down the look-back window, ruling that it was unconstitutional. It was crushing news for Zack and hundreds of other Louisiana survivors, who must now wait on the results of a protracted legal battle to see whether they will be able to move forward with their claims. In a rare move, the court agreed to rehear the case earlier this month, with supplemental briefs due this week. If the ruling holds, it will mean that adult survivors like Zack will have lost one of their few options to achieve justice through the legal system.