Starting at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Taylor and hundreds of other accusers get their long-awaited day in court as New York state’s one-year window finally opens to file suits against alleged sexual predators — with a tsunami of court papers expected from Buffalo to Brooklyn as the victims turn into plaintiffs.
“I don’t think I’ve ever worked as many hours in a row,” said Jennifer Freeman, senior counsel at the New York-based Marsh Law Firm. “It’s been absolutely non-stop. I’m working two computer screens every minute.”
Freeman said her firm is bringing more than 200 cases against Rockefeller University Hospital, where Dr. Reginald Archibald was accused of sexually abusing scores of his young patients.
“This is historic,” said Freeman. “New York has gone from one of the worst places to be a sexual abuse survivor to one of the best.”
According to Freeman, 96% of the past suits filed against the church in New York state were resolved with settlements rather than trials. But it’s unclear what will happen now given the expected flood of legal action against a variety of organizations.