Sexual Assault Attorneys in New Jersey: Your Complete Legal Guide
New Jersey enacted a landmark civil statute of limitations reform in 2019 that dramatically expanded survivors’ ability to bring civil claims for sexual assault and abuse. The New Jersey Child Sexual Abuse Act (CSAA), as amended by S477/A3648 (signed May 13, 2019, effective December 1, 2019), extended the civil SOL for childhood sexual abuse to age 55 and created a two-year lookback window (December 1, 2019 through November 30, 2021) for previously time-barred claims. The 2019 law also broadened the definition of covered conduct and expanded institutional liability beyond the narrow “within the household” framework of the original 1992 CSAA. In 2023, additional amendments further refined the framework. For adult survivors, the law provides seven years from the date of discovery – a significant improvement from the prior two-year rule. New Jersey also maintains no criminal statute of limitations for sexual assault, meaning perpetrators can face criminal prosecution at any time regardless of when the abuse occurred.
Understanding New Jersey Sexual Assault Laws
Criminal Statutes of Limitations
There is no criminal statute of limitations for sexual assault in New Jersey. Under N.J. Stat. § 2C:1-6, charges for sexual assault and related crimes may be filed at any time, regardless of when the offense occurred. This is among the most survivor-protective criminal frameworks in the country.
Civil Statutes of Limitations
Child survivors (under 18 at time of abuse) – N.J. Stat. § 2A:14-2a:
Under the current law, survivors of childhood sexual abuse have until their 55th birthday to file a civil claim – 37 years after reaching the age of majority at 18. Alternatively, survivors have seven years from the date they reasonably discover the injury and its causal relationship to the act of abuse, whichever deadline is later. This framework applies to incidents occurring before and after the 2019 reform date. The law also forbids class-action resolution of these claims; every case must proceed individually.
Adult survivors (18 or older at time of assault) – N.J. Stat. § 2A:14-2b:
Adult survivors have seven years from the date they reasonably discover the injury and its causal relationship to the act of sexual assault. This discovery-based rule replaced the prior rigid two-year rule and significantly expands access for adult survivors who did not immediately understand the connection between their assault and the harms they suffered.
Lookback window:
The two-year lookback window created by the 2019 law ran from December 1, 2019 through November 30, 2021 and is now closed. During that period, survivors whose claims had previously expired under the old law could revive them. That window is no longer available, but the expanded ongoing SOLs remain in effect.
Institutional liability under the CSAA:
The New Jersey CSAA covers not only direct perpetrators but also institutions and organizations that permitted, tolerated, or knowingly failed to prevent sexual abuse. Institutional defendants include schools, churches and religious organizations, camps, sports programs, employers, and other entities with supervisory relationships. The 2019 law specifically expanded institutional liability beyond “within the household” settings to encompass a much broader range of relationships and organizations. New Jersey courts have upheld institutional claims under the CSAA against school districts for peer-on-peer sexual assault as well.
No criminal conviction required:
Civil claims may proceed independently of any criminal prosecution. If a criminal conviction has been obtained, it may be used as evidence in the civil proceeding, but it is not required.
Class action ban:
New Jersey law prohibits class action resolution of sexual abuse claims. Each survivor must pursue an individual case.
New Jersey Sexual Assault Attorneys
Mazie Slater Katz & Freeman, LLC
Address: Roseland, NJ (serving statewide)
Website: https://www.mazieslater.com
Mazie Slater is consistently recognized as one of America’s elite trial law firms, named to the National Law Journal’s “Plaintiffs’ Hot List” as one of twelve firms nationally, and recognized as “Litigation Department of the Year” by the New Jersey Law Journal multiple times. Partner Beth Baldinger has over 30 years of experience representing survivors of sexual assault and abuse – men, women, children, and individuals with disabilities. The firm handles individual perpetrator claims and institutional liability cases, including clergy abuse, school abuse, and organizational failures. Anonymous filing is available in appropriate cases. Free confidential consultation. Contingency fee.
Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers
Address: Roseland, NJ
Phone: (973) 364-8300
Website: https://www.njlawresults.com
Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers has recovered over $535 million for clients across personal injury and civil litigation. Lead attorney Edward P. Capozzi obtained at least one of the top 20 verdicts or settlements in New Jersey every year from 2012 through 2018, received the President’s Award from the New Jersey Association for Justice in 2015, and was inducted into the Personal Injury Hall of Fame by the New Jersey Law Journal in 2014. The firm represents adult survivors, child survivors, and adults who were abused as children, pursuing claims against individuals and organizations. The firm does not handle cases against healthcare providers or medical facilities. Free consultation. Contingency fee.
Levy Konigsberg LLP
Address: New York, NY (with active New Jersey practice)
Website: https://www.levylaw.com/new-jersey-sexual-abuse-lawyers/
Levy Konigsberg is a nationally recognized institutional abuse firm with over three decades of experience and more than $3 billion in sexual abuse compensation recovered. The firm actively pursues claims against all five New Jersey Roman Catholic dioceses (Camden, Trenton, Paterson, Metuchen, and the Archdiocese of Newark), New Jersey juvenile detention centers and residential facilities, public and private schools including the Pingry School, and sports and youth organizations. The firm participated in the landmark series of cases involving the Diocese of Camden’s bankruptcy reorganization. Contingency fee. Free consultation.
Stark & Stark
Address: Lawrenceville, NJ (statewide practice)
Phone: (800) 535-3425
Website: https://www.stark-stark.com
Stark & Stark’s sexual abuse attorneys represent survivors in claims against individuals, schools and universities, religious organizations, workplaces, and any institution that failed to prevent abuse. The firm handles both individual perpetrator claims and institutional negligence cases, including negligent hiring, supervision, and retention. Free confidential consultation. Contingency fee.
Szaferman Lakind Attorneys at Law
Address: Lawrenceville, NJ
Website: https://www.szaferman.com
Szaferman Lakind is an established New Jersey plaintiff’s firm with a dedicated sexual assault and abuse practice. The firm has been pursuing claims under the expanded 2019 CSAA framework and handles cases involving institutional defendants including churches, schools, and employers. Free consultation. Contingency fee.
Key Considerations for New Jersey Survivors
Childhood abuse survivors have until age 55. The CSAA extends the civil deadline for childhood sexual abuse claims to the survivor’s 55th birthday or seven years from discovery of the injury-abuse connection, whichever is later.
Adult survivors have seven years from discovery. Under N.J. Stat. § 2A:14-2b, adult survivors have seven years from the date they reasonably discover that their injury is causally linked to the assault. This discovery-based rule is critically important for survivors who did not immediately recognize the connection between the assault and its psychological or physical effects.
The 2019 lookback window has closed. The two-year revival window for previously time-barred claims ran December 1, 2019 through November 30, 2021 and is no longer available.
No criminal SOL. New Jersey maintains no criminal statute of limitations for sexual assault. Criminal charges can be filed at any point.
Institutional liability is broad. New Jersey’s CSAA allows survivors to sue institutions that enabled, covered up, or failed to prevent abuse – schools, churches, youth organizations, employers, and others. This institutional liability extends beyond the direct perpetrator.
No class actions. Each survivor’s claim must be pursued individually under New Jersey law.
Anonymous filing is possible. Depending on circumstances, New Jersey courts may permit survivors to proceed under a pseudonym or with sealed records.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a civil sexual assault lawsuit in New Jersey?
For childhood abuse, until your 55th birthday or seven years from discovery, whichever is later. For adult assault, seven years from the date of reasonable discovery of the injury-assault connection.
Can I still sue if the two-year lookback window has closed?
The lookback window closed November 30, 2021. However, many survivors with claims that were not yet expired under the 2019 law’s expanded framework still have time to sue. Consult an attorney to assess whether your specific claim falls within the expanded ongoing SOLs.
Is a criminal conviction required to file a civil suit?
No. Civil claims proceed independently. A conviction strengthens a civil case but is not required.
Can I file a civil lawsuit against the Catholic Church or other institutions?
Yes. New Jersey’s CSAA broadly covers institutional defendants that permitted or failed to prevent abuse, including all five New Jersey Catholic dioceses.
Can I file anonymously?
Depending on circumstances, New Jersey courts may permit survivors to proceed under a pseudonym or to have court records sealed. An attorney can advise on the specific procedure.