University of Pennsylvania professor Marci A. Hamilton discusses Delaware’s collapse of HB75, a bill that would have permanently revived time-barred child sex abuse claims, after Democratic senators added last-minute poison pill amendments, and links this to broader controversies over false claims in California’s mass tort litigation and reduced settlement caps in Maryland. Professor Hamilton argues Delaware’s retreat was unjustified given its successful history with prior SOL windows, and that fraud concerns should be addressed through a stronger certificate of merit requirement rather than by restricting survivors’ access to justice.

Marci A. Hamilton, professor at the University of Pennsylvania and CEO of CHILD USA, and Kathryn Robb, executive director of CHILD USAdvocacy, describe the latest trick by Catholic bishops in Maryland to successfully lobby for a statute of repose to be included in a bill, undermining its ability to provide meaningful justice to abuse victims. Hamilton and Robb call upon legislators to stop cooperating with Catholic bishops, as doing so leads only to continued secrecy, suffering, and pedophile empowerment.

SMU Dedman School of Law Professor Joanna Grossman discusses a decision by the highest court of Maryland reversing itself and allowing a claim of de facto parentage. Grossman describes the history of de facto parentage in the United States and explains how the court reached its decision.