If you were sexually abused as a child in Rhode Island — whether it happened at a school, in a youth sports program, in Scouts, in foster care or a juvenile facility, or within a religious institution — Rhode Island law may now give you a path to a civil claim, even if it happened decades ago. Marin & Murphy Law Firm is a Rhode Island law firm that is speaking with survivors and investigating claims. This page explains the law in plain terms; what you share with us is confidential, and there is no cost to ask.

The information below is drawn from the statute itself (R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-51, as amended by P.L. 2026, ch. 081). It is general information, not legal advice.

Updated August 2026. Since Rhode Island’s revival window — sometimes called a lookback window — opened on July 1, 2026, news outlets report that more than 50 civil lawsuits have already been filed under the new law: the legislation amending the statute of limitations for child victim claims (H-7200a/S-2616a), enacted as P.L. 2026, ch. 081, amending R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-51. The window applies to institutions of every kind — churches, schools, youth organizations, and state care settings — and closes June 30, 2028. (Litigation count: WJAR/NBC 10 reporting, July 31, 2026.)

The revival window is not limited to the church

Most of the news coverage has focused on the Diocese of Providence, but the law itself is written in defendant-neutral terms. Rhode Island’s revival window (open July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2028) allows previously time-barred civil claims for childhood sexual abuse to proceed against non-perpetrator institutions — and because the law is defendant-neutral, it could reach a school district or private school, a youth organization, an athletic program, a scouting organization, a foster-care or residential placement, a juvenile facility, or a church of any denomination, depending on the facts — where the institution’s own conduct, such as negligent hiring, supervision, failure to report, or concealment, contributed to the abuse. Claims against public entities (public schools, state placements, juvenile facilities) involve additional rules that a Rhode Island attorney must evaluate. We explain the mechanics in plain terms in our guides to how the revival window works and Rhode Island’s childhood sexual abuse statute of limitations.

Where childhood sexual abuse claims arise

• Schools — public and private, including teachers, coaches, staff, and clergy-run schools.
• Scouting — abuse in Scouting programs raises distinct issues: many claims were channeled to the national Boy Scouts of America Settlement Trust, whose filing deadline has passed — likely barring new trust claims. Whether a Rhode Island claim against a different institution can proceed separately is fact-specific.
• Youth sports — leagues, camps, and athletic programs.
• Foster care, group homes, and juvenile facilities — including placements through state systems and residential homes.
• Religious institutions — for abuse by a priest or within the Diocese of Providence specifically, our clergy abuse claims resource covers those cases in depth.

Claims from decades ago may still qualify

The entire purpose of the revival window is to reopen claims the old deadlines closed, and the revival provision contains no backward time limit by its terms: a qualifying civil claim that was previously time-barred may be filed until June 30, 2028, whenever the abuse occurred. It also doesn’t matter whether the abuser was ever criminally charged, whether he or she has died, or whether you ever told anyone. As a practical matter, decades-old claims raise their own questions — records, witnesses, and successor institutions — and whether a particular claim can be brought and proven is a fact-specific question for a Rhode Island attorney. Our guides explain who can file a claim and what it means when the priest has died.

How We Approach These Cases

Institutional cases are built on evidence: records, personnel files, investigative findings, and the account you provide when you are ready. Our work starts with the record — identifying the correct institutional defendants, matching your dates and places to the documented history, and preserving the evidence that supports your claim.

Survivors who come forward seek different things. Some seek justice in a courtroom; others want acknowledgment, accountability, compensation, or simply answers. Defining what justice looks like for you is part of the work — and you decide it.

What a civil claim is — and is not

A civil claim is brought by you, for compensation, against the people and institutions responsible. It is separate from any criminal case and does not require one. Compensation in these cases addresses what the abuse took: counseling and treatment costs, the toll on work and relationships, and the harm itself. No page — ours or anyone’s — can tell you what a case is “worth”; that depends on the facts — though we do explain how settlements in these cases work.

The Rhode Island Attorneys Behind This Work

When you contact this firm, you are talking to the attorneys themselves — not an intake service. Matthew T. Marin has practiced law in Rhode Island since 2009 and is admitted in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, South Carolina, and the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island. His practice concentrates on complex civil litigation, including institutional childhood sexual abuse claims under Rhode Island’s revival window. Stefanie A. Murphy is an experienced Rhode Island trial attorney, admitted in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and the U.S. District Courts for the Districts of Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.

Our attorneys built and maintain the research this site is known for — verified, source-checked pages on Rhode Island’s official records of credibly accused clergy and the institutions involved. That is the level of preparation these cases receive. We are a Rhode Island firm, with lawyers in offices at 177 N Main Street, Providence and 6 Wanton Shippee Road, East Greenwich — and 5.0 stars across 449 Google reviews in Providence as of August 2026. There is no fee unless you recover.

A Safe Way to Ask

Coming forward takes courage, and most abuse survivors carry this for decades before telling anyone. You set the pace here. A conversation with us is confidential and free, we treat what you share with respect and dignity, and we understand the trauma that can accompany histories of childhood sexual assault or abuse — including why many sexual abuse survivors have never told their families. We are here to listen. Nothing is filed and no one is contacted unless you decide. If now is not the time, the information on this page is yours either way.

What talking to us looks like

A confidential conversation, at no cost, with no obligation — in person, by phone, or by video. You don’t need records or proof in hand, and you don’t need to have told anyone before. If a claim exists, we handle these cases on a contingency basis: no attorney’s fee unless there is a recovery, with costs advanced by the firm and the full terms explained in your written agreement.

Claims from state-supervised care: the revival window also reaches abuse in DCYF placements. Start with the DCYF claims overview, with dedicated pages for the Rhode Island Training School, foster homes and group homes, and St. Mary’s Home for Children, and the legal framework for suing the State of Rhode Island.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it too late if the abuse happened decades ago? Generally, no — the revival window exists precisely for claims the old statute of limitations barred. The filing deadline is June 30, 2028.

Does the law only apply to church cases? No. The law is defendant-neutral: schools, youth organizations, scouting, foster care, juvenile facilities, and other institutions may be reached, depending on the facts.

What if the abuse happened at a school that has since closed, or the abuser has died? Neither ends a claim by itself. Claims are brought against responsible institutions and, in some cases, successor entities or estates — a fact-specific question for a Rhode Island attorney.

Will anyone find out? Your inquiry is confidential. Courts also have mechanisms, in appropriate cases, for protecting privacy in filings — discussed candidly during a consultation, not promised in advance.

What does it cost? Consultations are free. These cases are handled on contingency; costs and fee terms are explained in writing before you decide anything.

Is the new law settled? It took effect July 1, 2026. As of the date of publication, no court has ruled on whether reviving previously time-barred claims against institutions is constitutional, and we make no representation about how a court will rule. The legal background is explained in how the revival window works.

About This Information

This page is general legal information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Whether any individual has a claim depends on the specific facts and must be evaluated by a licensed Rhode Island attorney.

About the law’s status: Rhode Island’s revival-window law (effective July 1, 2026) is new. As of the date of publication, no court has ruled on whether the revival of previously time-barred claims against institutions is constitutional. We make no representation about how any court will rule.

Support resources: If you are seeking support, the Rhode Island Attorney General’s office maintains a resources page.