Filing window status
New York's Child Victims Act lookback window closed in August 2021, but survivors are not out of options: the Act permanently extended the statute of limitations so survivors may file civil claims for childhood sexual abuse until age 55, and claims against a diocese in Chapter 11 move through the bankruptcy's compensation process. Deadlines turn on your age and the facts of your case — a free, confidential review can confirm what applies to you.
Deadlines are state-specific and change often. Even if you think a window has passed, it is worth confirming — exceptions can apply. A free, confidential review can tell you where you stand.
The record
Key Facts
Fact 01
411 Child Victims Act lawsuits filed
Source: Diocese of Syracuse / CNY Central
Fact 02
$176.1 million survivors' settlement
Source: U.S. Bankruptcy Court, N.D.N.Y. (Aug. 2025)
Fact 03
$76.1M from insurers, ~$100M from diocese, parishes and entities
Source: Diocese of Syracuse reorganization plan
Fact 04
Chapter 11 filed June 2020; final approval Feb. 25, 2026
Source: Diocese of Syracuse
What is documented
The Allegations
The full account
The Record
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June 2020 after being named in 411 sexual abuse lawsuits brought under New York's Child Victims Act, which had opened a two-year lookback window for previously time-barred claims.
In August 2025, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Wendy Kinsella approved the diocese's plan of reorganization, establishing a $176.1 million trust for survivors. Roughly $76.1 million comes from the diocese's insurers and about $100 million from the “Catholic family” — including some $45 million from parishes, $5 million from other diocesan entities, and $50 million from the diocese itself. The diocese announced final court approval on February 25, 2026.
The settlement is one of several reached by New York dioceses in the wake of the Child Victims Act. It compensates survivors through the trust rather than through individual trials, and does not require survivors to prove their claims in open court.
Sources & attribution