PROVIDENCE (RI)
Motley Rice LLC [Mount Pleasant, SC]
June 17, 2026
By Motley Rice
Rhode Island Governor Daniel J. McKee has signed into law sweeping legislation that allows survivors of childhood sexual abuse, no matter when the abuse occurred, to sue their abusers and the institutions that enabled or concealed that abuse.
The new law establishes a two-year “revival window” that runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028, during which survivors may file lawsuits against alleged perpetrators and institutions, such as the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, the Mormon Church and other entities accused of failing to prevent abuse or covering up wrongful conduct. The two-year window, also known as a “lookback window,” temporarily lifts the statute of limitations of previously expired claims. All time-barred claims must be filed by June 30, 2028, or they may be forever barred.
The law was passed after, the Rhode Island Attorney General released a comprehensive report on March 4, 2026, of a multi-year investigation into clergy sexual abuse within the Diocese of Providence. The report identified approximately 75 clergy members with credible allegations involving more than 300 minor children and described patterns in which accused clergy were re-assigned and allegations were inconsistently reported to authorities. Lawmakers cited the findings as a key factor in advancing legislation to expand survivors’ ability to pursue civil claims. The list of accused priests from the Diocese of Providence named in the Attorney General’s report includes:
- Father Joseph Abruzzese
- Monsignor John Allard
- Brother Roger C. Argencourt
- Father Daniel Azzarone
- Brother Robert (aka Peter) Barnes
- Father Francis Xavier Battel
- Father Roger Belhumeur
- Father Mario Bordignon
- Father Dennis Brodeur
- Father James Campbell
- Father Robert Carpentier
- Brother Vincent Cavanaugh
- Father Paul Charland
- Father Eugene Corbesero
- Father John Crafton
- Father Joseph D’Angelo
- Monsignor Anthony DeAngelis
- Father Normand Demers
- Father Alfred Desroisiers
- Father Paul Desroisier
- Father Louis Diogo
- Father Charles Dolan
- Father John Doran
- Monsignor Louis Dunn
- Monsignor Michael W. Dziob
- Brother Raphael Edes
- Father John Joseph Keough Feeney
- Father Oscar Ferland
- Father John Ferry
- Father Kevin Fisette
- Father Edmund Fitzgerald
- Father John H. Flanagan
- Deacon Laurence Gagnon
- Father William Gillooly
- Father Timothy Gorton
- Father Rene Guertin
- Father Richard Holden
- Father James Jackson
- Father Edward Kelley
- Father Joseph Gerard Raymond Lacasse
- Father Michael LaMountain
- Father Norman Leboeuf
- Father Paul Henry Leech
- Father Roland Lepire
- Father Alfred Lonardo
- Father Philip Magaldi
- Father Thomas Dente Kofi Manu
- Father Robert Marcantonio
- Father Joseph McCra
- Father Robert McIntyre
- Father Barry Meehan
- Father Richard Meglio
- Father Adrien Menard
- Father Edmond Micarelli
- Father William O’Connell
- Father John Francis O’Neil
- Father William O’Neill
- Father John Petrocelli
- Father John Powers
- Father Hugh Rafferty
- Father William Raiche
- Father Paul F. Reynolds
- Father Joseph Rocha
- Deacon Edward Sadowski
- Father Alfred Santagata
- Father Francis Santilli
- Father Peter Scagnelli
- Father James Silva
- Father John Gerard Brendan Smyth
- Father William Tanguay
- Father Peter L. Tedeschi
- Father John Tormey
- Father Paul Tousignant
- Father Biagio Samuel Turillo
- Father Armand Ventre
“Survivors have waited years, often decades, for this moment. The passage of this bill marks a significant shift for abuse survivors across Rhode Island, recognizing what we know from years of litigation: trauma from abuse often delays disclosure, and justice should not be bound by arbitrary time limits,” said Jonathan Orent, an attorney who represents survivors of sexual abuse, and is based in Motley Rice’s Rhode Island office.
For many people, particularly those who disclosed abuse years or decades after it occurred, prior statutes of limitation prevented legal action. The lookback window reflects a broader recognition that delayed disclosure is common in cases involving childhood sexual abuse. With this law, Rhode Island joins a growing number of states that have reopened civil claims for a defined period.
Key Deadlines & Eligibility
At the center of the legislation is a two-year revival window, providing a limited opportunity to file civil lawsuits:
- Window opens: July 1, 2026
- Window closes: June 30, 2028
This legislation temporarily lifts statute of limitations barriers for previously ineligible.
Who may be eligible
During this period, survivors may be eligible to bring claims that were previously time-barred. The law applies broadly to claims involving:
- Religious institutions (including churches)
- Schools and educational programs
- Youth organizations and similar entities
- Privately operated detention centers
- Supervisors or decision-makers who allegedly failed to act
Claims against institutions
Importantly, the law also permits claims against non-perpetrator entities, including those alleged to have:
- Known about abuse
- Failed to intervene
- Concealed misconduct
Important consideration
Because the revival window is strictly time-limited, individuals considering a claim should evaluate their legal options and connect with an attorney well before the June 30, 2028, filing deadline.
Motley Rice experience in sexual abuse litigation
Motley Rice attorneys have experience representing survivors in complex institutional sexual abuse litigation involving religious organizations, youth programs, and other entities entrusted with the care of children. The firm has pursued claims alleging institutions failed to supervise, ignored warning signs and actively concealed misconduct, with a focus on holding institutions accountable for systemic failures rather than isolated acts. This work has included cases involving Catholic clergy abuse, litigation against youth organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America, LDS church-related abuse, as well as cases arising in other organizational settings where policies, practices and leadership decisions allegedly allowed abuse to occur or continue.