The Arkansas Supreme Court is preparing to rule on whether survivors of childhood sexual abuse can file civil lawsuits decades after the abuse occurred.
The case centers on the Justice for Vulnerable Victims of Sexual Abuse Act, a 2021 law that sought to revive lawsuits that had already expired under the state’s statute of limitations. If the court upholds the law, dozens of previously barred cases could move forward. A ruling against it would likely result in dismissals.
The decision affects claims against figures including former physician James Darrell Nesmith, convicted child rapist Barry Walker, and the now-defunct Lord’s Ranch behavioral health facility. Earlier this year, the Arkansas Court of Appeals ruled the legislature could not retroactively extend expired claims, putting lawsuits filed under the 2021 act in jeopardy. The Supreme Court agreed in May to review the issue, effectively pausing the lower court’s ruling.
Mark Bryant, director of clinical services at the Children’s Protection Center in Little Rock, said many survivors do not come forward until years after the abuse. “Telling about abuse-even the telling process-may take months or years to fully be able to tell and come to terms with what has happened,” Bryant said. Advocates argue that survivors need time not just to heal, but also to prepare for the emotional challenges of testifying in court.
Bryant emphasized that accountability and healing can take different forms for survivors and their families. “Justice looks different for a lot of people,” he said.
The Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling after its fall term begins. The outcome will determine whether Arkansas courts remain open to decades-old claims of child sexual abuse or whether such cases are permanently barred.
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