Minnesota Child Victims Act Deadline Is Next Week

ST. CLOUD - The deadline is looming for anyone who wants to file a lawsuit through the Minnesota 'Child Victims Act'.

Mike Bryant is a lawyer with Bradshaw and Bryant in St. Cloud. He says the act was passed by the State Legislature three years ago.

And what it did was it allowed for anybody who was a victim of sexual abuse as a child to bring their claim no matter when it happened. So it allowed people that had been quiet for years to come forward and make claims.

He says there are certain cases that get all the headlines, but the act is intended to help anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse in the past.

The claims that are getting the most headlines are the Catholic abuse cases, claims against the Children's Theater, Boy Scouts, The Boys Club. So you're seeing organizations. Generally because they have some coverage. The unfortunate thing is we do talk to people who are abused by their neighbors, or their friends, or other kids...

The deadline to file a claim is next Wednesday, May 25th.

Bryant says other states have opted to leave the claim filing period open, but he says he's not expecting that to happen here in Minnesota.