Sexual Assault Attorneys in New Jersey: Your Complete Legal Guide

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New Jersey gives a survivor of sexual abuse as a minor until 37 years after reaching majority, the 55th birthday, or seven years from reasonable discovery of the injury and its cause, whichever is later, and the rule applies to abuse before or after December 1, 2019. An adult survivor has seven years from reasonable discovery. The two-year revival window opened by the same 2019 law closed on November 30, 2021. Below are those rules, the institutional liability changes that came with them, the criminal deadlines, and five firms that represent survivors in New Jersey.

If you are in immediate danger, call 911. The New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault runs a 24/7 statewide hotline at 1-800-601-7200.

The New Jersey statutes below are quoted from CHILD USA’s October 2026 review, which relied on the official text of P.L. 2019, c. 120. The page explains the law in general terms and does not assess any individual claim.

Abuse as a Minor: Age 55 or Seven Years From Discovery

N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2a(a)(1) provides: “Every action at law for an injury resulting from the commission of sexual assault, any other crime of a sexual nature, a prohibited sexual act as defined in section 2 of P.L.1992, c.7 (C.2A:30B-2), or sexual abuse as defined in section 1 of P.L.1992, c.109 (C.2A:61B-1) against a minor under the age of 18 that occurred prior to, on or after the effective date of P.L.2019, c.120 (C.2A:14-2a et al.) shall be commenced within 37 years after the minor reaches the age of majority, or within seven years from the date of reasonable discovery of the injury and its causal relationship to the act, whichever date is later.”

The words “prior to, on or after the effective date” make the period apply to abuse before December 1, 2019 as well as after.

Adult Survivors: Seven Years From Reasonable Discovery

For a person 18 or older, § 2A:14-2a(b)(1) requires an action “within seven years from the date of reasonable discovery of the injury and its causal relationship to the act.”

Two Features of the Statute

  • Equitable tolling survives. The section states: “Nothing in this section is intended to preclude the court from finding that the statute of limitations was tolled in an action because of the plaintiff’s mental state, physical or mental disability, duress by the defendant, or any other equitable grounds. Such a finding shall be made after a plenary hearing.” CHILD USA notes that the discovery date is decided at a hearing of the kind described in Lopez v. Swyer, 62 N.J. 267 (1973).
  • No class actions. Under § 2A:14-2a(c)(1), every action must proceed on an individual basis, and (c)(2) voids private arrangements settling such claims on a class basis.

The 2019 Law Changed Institutional Liability Too

CHILD USA reports that P.L. 2019, c. 120 did more than extend the deadline. It amended the Charitable Immunity Act to state that nonprofit religious, charitable, educational, and hospital organizations are liable for willful, wanton, or grossly negligent acts including sexual abuse; applied the negligent hiring, supervision, and retention exception retroactively; made public entities liable notwithstanding the Tort Claims Act; and removed the Tort Claims Act’s notice and two-year requirements for these claims. For a survivor considering a claim against a church, school district, or charity, those changes are as important as the deadline itself.

The Revival Window Closed November 30, 2021

N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2b(a) allowed an action for sexual abuse that occurred before December 1, 2019, and “which action would otherwise be barred through application of the statute of limitations,” to be “commenced within two years immediately following the effective date.” The last day was November 30, 2021. CHILD USA notes that the window covered adults as well as children.

The Criminal Deadlines Are Not Uniform

Prosecution is the state’s decision. CHILD USA quotes N.J.S.A. 2C:1-6(a)(1): “A prosecution for any offense set forth in N.J.S.2C:11-3, N.J.S.2C:11-4, N.J.S.2C:14-2 or sections 1 through 5 of P.L.2002, c. 26 (C.2C:38-1 through C.2C:38-5) may be commenced at any time.” Section 2C:14-2 is sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault.

Criminal sexual contact is different. Under § 2C:1-6(b)(4), “A prosecution for an offense set forth in N.J.S.2C:14-3 or N.J.S.2C:24-4, when the victim at the time of the offense is below the age of 18 years, must be commenced within five years of the victim’s attaining the age of 18 or within two years of the discovery of the offense by the victim, whichever is later.” Section 2C:14-3 covers aggravated criminal sexual contact and criminal sexual contact; § 2C:24-4 is endangering the welfare of a child. Other crimes carry five years under § 2C:1-6(b)(1).

The civil periods above apply whether or not anyone is prosecuted.

Preparing for a New Jersey Consultation

A lawyer will ask for the dates of the abuse or assault, the survivor’s age then, and when the survivor connected the injury to the act, since the discovery date can be decided at a hearing. Questions to settle:

  1. What are the 55th-birthday date and the seven-year discovery date under § 2A:14-2a, and which is later?
  2. For an adult assault, when did reasonable discovery of the injury and its cause occur?
  3. Does the Charitable Immunity Act amendment or the negligent hiring exception support a claim against a charity, church, or school?
  4. If the defendant is a public entity, how do the 2019 changes to the Tort Claims Act apply?
  5. Are there grounds for equitable tolling that would need a plenary hearing?
  6. Does the firm represent any diocese, school district, or insurer that may be a defendant, and how are costs handled?

New Jersey Sexual Assault Attorneys

Mazie Slater Katz & Freeman, LLC

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

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

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

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

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

I was abused at 10 in 1985 and I am now 51. Can I still sue?

Possibly. Section 2A:14-2a(a)(1) applies to abuse before December 1, 2019 and allows 37 years after reaching majority, to the 55th birthday, or seven years from reasonable discovery if later. If the claim had already expired under the law in force before 2019, the separate window for barred claims closed on November 30, 2021, so a lawyer should confirm whether the new period reaches it.

I was assaulted at 30. Is there a two-year deadline?

No. Section 2A:14-2a(b)(1) gives an adult survivor seven years from reasonable discovery of the injury and its causal relationship to the act.

Can I still use the lookback window?

No. It required filing within two years after December 1, 2019, so it closed on November 30, 2021.

Can criminal sexual contact against a child still be prosecuted decades later?

Not always. Section 2C:1-6(b)(4) requires prosecution within five years after the victim turns 18 or two years after discovery, whichever is later. Sexual assault under § 2C:14-2 has no time limit.

Support and Reporting Lines

  • Emergency: 911
  • New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault, 24/7 hotline: 1-800-601-7200
  • New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence, 24/7 helpline: 1-800-572-7233
  • National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673

Sources