Litigation

ILLINOIS STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS EXTENDED FOR RAPE VICTIMS

By Mark P. Loftus, Esq.

On Monday, September 10, 2007, Governor Blagojevich signed House Bill 1462, which, under certain circumstances will extend the time period rape victims have to sue their attackers for money damages. Effective January 1, 2008, the new law will suspend the statute of limitations when the rape victim has been intimidated into remaining quiet. The new law came about in part, in response to a legal setback suffered by Woodstock, Illinois resident Jacque Hollander. Ms. Hollander says soul singer James Brown raped her at gunpoint in 1998 and threatened to have her killed if she told anyone of the rape. Hollander waited until 2005 to file suit and the case was dismissed as untimely.

If no intimidation has occurred, the victim will continue to have two years to sue.

Full post as published by Illinois Lawyer Blog on September 18, 2007 (boomark / email).