Portions of the Child Victims Act took effect Feb. 14, 2019, and the one-year revival window for civil claims that were previously time-barred, opened Aug. 14, 2019 (see Part One of this column published on that date). While litigants have taken advantage of the revival window, it may not result in the anticipated deluge of new filings. Whether this is reflective of the actual number of cases, or a strategic response to the “fast track” created for these cases, discussed below, remains to be seen.

New subsection (b) was added to CPLR 208’s toll for infancy and insanity, extended the statute of limitations for certain acts of sexual abuse involving a minor to the date when that minor reaches the age 55, eliminating a bar to timely commencement for claims whose victims are very often unable, for myriad reasons, to bring an action until years or decades after suffering abuse.