New Hampshire Statutes of Limitations (Filing Deadlines) for Abuse Lawsuits

If you’re a survivor of sexual abuse in New Hampshire, the statute of limitations for filing an abuse lawsuit is one of the simplest in the nation. For civil cases based on sexual assault or incest, you may file a lawsuit at any time.

In 2020, New Hampshire changed the law to remove civil filing deadlines for actions “based on” offenses in the state’s sexual-assault chapter (RSA 632-A) and the incest statute (RSA 639:2). That means for survivors—whether the abuse happened in childhood or adulthood—civil lawsuits requesting damages are not barred because too much time has passed.

Below, we explain what “based on” means in practice, how this rule interacts with suits against institutions and government entities, and what other timing doctrines might still matter to your case.

Key Takeaways About New Hampshire Filing Deadlines For Abuse Cases

No civil statute of limitations for sexual-assault-based claims: If your civil lawsuit is “based on” an offense listed in RSA 632-A (sexual assault and related offenses) or is based on incest under RSA 639:2, you can file at any time, regardless of your age then or now.
Applies to child and adult survivors: The “any time” rule is not limited to minors; it covers adults as well when the underlying conduct fits the statutory requirements.
Institutional liability is possible: Survivors may pursue claims not only against individual perpetrators but also against institutions such as schools, churches, youth organizations, camps, and employers whose negligence enabled or failed to prevent the abuse.
Government defendants have special rules: Claims against municipalities (cities, towns, school districts) and the State of New Hampshire have separate statutes that generally impose a three-year period and other requirements. Whether the “any time” rule fully overrides those government-specific limits can be complex and may depend on the facts and current case law.
Other timing rules can help survivors: New Hampshire law pauses civil deadlines while a criminal case from the same incident is pending, and also recognizes doctrines like fraudulent concealment and discovery in other contexts.
Bottom line: In most private civil cases based on sexual assault or incest, New Hampshire law lets you file whenever you are ready. If a government entity is involved, or your claim is framed under different theories, speak to a lawyer promptly to learn the correct deadlines.

Who Is Covered by New Hampshire’s “Any Time” Rule?

What the statute says, in plain English

New Hampshire’s statute of limitations law for sexual abuse claims provides that a person alleging they were subjected to any offense under the sexual assault chapter (RSA 632-A) or to incest under RSA 639:2 may commence a personal injury civil action at any time. In other words, for civil lawsuits “based on” those offenses, the old filing deadlines are gone.

That includes:

Childhood sexual abuse (even if the abuse happened decades ago)
Adult sexual assault (including aggravated or felonious sexual assault)
Patterns of abuse (single incident or multiple incidents over time)
Incest-based claims

This survivor-forward approach recognizes that disclosure often takes years and that trauma can delay a survivor’s ability to come forward.

Does it matter if the abuser was criminally charged?

No. A civil case is separate from any criminal case. You can file a civil action even if no criminal charges were ever brought or if a criminal case did not end in a conviction. And, if a criminal case is pending for the same incident, New Hampshire law generally tolls (pauses) certain civil time periods so the criminal case does not eat up your civil time. Another great example of how New Hampshire is implementing survivor-protective features.

Filing Claims Against Institutions (Schools, Churches, Youth Programs, Employers) That Allowed or Ignored Abuse

Many survivors want accountability not only from perpetrators but also from organizations that enabled the harm by negligent hiring, inadequate supervision, ignoring complaints, or concealing abuse.

Institutional claims are allowed: New Hampshire’s “any time” rule can support filing against institutions as well as individuals. Lawyers typically plead multiple theories, for example, allegations of negligent supervision, negligent hiring/retention, negligent security, failure to report, to ensure all viable claims are preserved under the survivor-friendly limitations rule.
Evidence matters: To connect institutional negligence to the assault, attorneys gather internal policies, incident reports, prior complaints, training records, and witness testimony. These documents can show who knew what, when they knew it, and how reasonable safeguards failed.
Financial compensation possible: Survivors can seek compensation for medical and therapy costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and other harms. In some cases, punitive-type remedies may be limited or unavailable depending on the defendant and the claim type.

Practical note: Even with “no time limit” for filing a lawsuit, earlier action can help preserve documents and witness memory. Consider working with an experienced abuse lawyer quickly to allow them time to prepare and send preservation letters promptly.

Special Rules for Government Defendants

Claims against governmental units, such as a public school district, city, town, or the State, are subject to additional, government-specific statutes. These laws govern how and when you can sue the government and often include damage caps.

Municipal defendants (cities, towns, school districts): New Hampshire’s municipal tort statute generally sets a three-year filing period and includes a discovery rule (if you reasonably could not have discovered the injury and its cause earlier).
State defendants: Claims against the State are handled under a separate chapter that likewise imposes a three-year limit and sets specific procedures and damage caps.
How do these rules interact with “any time”? New Hampshire’s “any time” language is broad for sexual-assault-based claims. But when the defendant is a government entity, courts may analyze the interaction between the survivor-friendly rule and the government-specific schemes.

In short, the interplay can be fact-dependent and may evolve with litigation. If your case involves a public school, foster-care system, or other state/local agency, get legal advice promptly so you don’t inadvertently miss a government-specific deadline or notice requirement.

Discovery, Tolling, and Other Timing Doctrines (Why They Still Matter)

You might wonder: if there’s “no time limit,” why talk about discovery or tolling at all? Here are two possible reasons:

Government cases may still be governed by special statutory time frames.
Other claims tied to the assault, but not squarely “based on” offenses in RSA 632-A or RSA 639:2, might trigger the general three-year personal-injury statute or other rules. In those scenarios, doctrines like discovery (you can sue within three years of when you discovered or reasonably should have discovered the injury and its cause) and fraudulent concealment (pausing time where the wrongdoer hid key facts) can preserve your claim.

Additionally, New Hampshire law tolls certain civil time limits while a related criminal case is pending, which protects survivors who might otherwise feel forced to file their civil claim while prosecutors are still working on a criminal conviction.

What “Based On” Means for Framing Your Lawsuit

This phrase “based on” is where careful pleading matters. To take advantage of the file any time rule:

Your civil petition should clearly connect the facts to abusive actions that constitute sexual assault under RSA 632-A or incest under RSA 639:2.
Your attorney may cite the specific criminal code sections that describe the conduct, for example, aggravated felonious sexual assault, felonious sexual assault, or sexual assault, even though this is a civil case.
Alongside those tort claims, your attorney will likely include institutional negligence claims asserting the entity engaged in negligent hiring/supervision, failure to protect, or negligent security that caused or allowed the assault, preserving the “any time” protection.

This approach keeps your case anchored to the survivor-protective statute while ensuring that all viable civil theories are considered.

What If My Abuse Happened Long Ago?

For private (non-government) defendants, the 2020 change removed civil filing deadlines for sexual assault claims regardless of when they happened, so the mere age of your case is not a barrier. That said, you will still need to provide evidence to support your case. Important factors include:

Whether evidence can still be located. Documents such as therapy records, school or church files, emails, texts, photos, social-media posts, yearbooks, employment records, and witness testimony can be lost over the years.
You do not need exact dates for each incident in a pattern of abuse. Courts recognize that survivors may not recall specific dates of each assault; what matters is the pattern and the harm.
Therapy and medical records help establish causation and prove the link between the abuse and your injuries (PTSD, anxiety, depression, substance use, lost wages, etc.).

The “any time” rule is designed to honor the reality of delayed disclosure and the effects of trauma.

Evidence Checklist (You can start this today)

Personal timeline: Note approximate dates/years, locations, and names.
Who knew: Write down who you told (if anyone), when, and how they responded.
Institutional records: School, church, camp, employer, or youth-group policies and incident files.
Medical/therapy records: Diagnoses, treatment notes, medication history.
Digital traces: Emails, texts, social posts, photos, messages, journal entries.
Potential witnesses: Friends, family, classmates, co-workers, coaches, clergy, neighbors.

Your lawyer can help send preservation letters to ensure organizations do not destroy relevant records.

How Damages Work (and Why the Defendant Matters)

In a successful abuse lawsuit, survivors can request certain types of payment, known as legal damages. Allowable damages differ depending on the defendant.

Private defendants and institutions: Survivors can seek compensation for medical costs, therapy, lost income or educational opportunities, pain and suffering, and other harms.
Government defendants: There are statutory damage caps and procedural rules that differ from standard cases. Caps and notice rules can affect strategy and recovery, so it’s important to consult counsel early if your case involves a public entity.

Do I need a criminal conviction to sue?

No. Civil cases do not require a criminal charge or conviction. Your burden of proof is a preponderance of the evidence (more likely than not), which is different from the criminal standard.

Can I file anonymously?

In sensitive cases, courts can use protective orders and, in some circumstances, allow plaintiffs to use initials or other privacy measures. Your attorney can request appropriate protections at the start of the case to help safeguard your identity.

My case involves a public school. Does “any time” still apply?

It might, but lawsuits against government entities are subject to separate rules, including three-year limitations and damage caps. Whether the “any time” statute fully controls in a specific public-school case is a legal question under active consideration. Talk to a knowledgeable lawyer promptly to preserve your rights under both sets of laws.

What if the abuse happened outside New Hampshire?

You can often sue in the state where the abuse occurred or where the defendants can be sued. Choice-of-law rules can be complex. If the abuse happened outside New Hampshire, another state’s deadlines might apply even if you now live here.

I’m not sure whether what happened qualifies as “sexual assault” under the criminal code. Can I still talk to a lawyer?

Absolutely. A skilled lawyer can compare your experience to the statutory definitions under New Hampshire law and explain how to frame the civil case so it’s clearly “based on” a covered offense.

What Should I Do Next?

Talk with a trauma-informed attorney. The first conversation is about safety, choices, and control, and you should pay nothing for this important information.
Identify all potential defendants, consider all individuals and institutions including public entities where applicable, that might be liable.
Preserve evidence now. Even with “no time limit,” earlier preservation helps.
Plan for privacy. Discuss protective orders, sealing, and other tools.
Decide your path. Lawsuits are not the only option; your lawyer can discuss reporting, restorative processes, and civil strategy.

For Strong, Survivor-First Legal Help, Call the File Abuse Lawsuit Team

You deserve a legal team that listens first and builds a plan around your goals. Whether the abuse happened last year or decades ago, we will explain exactly how New Hampshire’s “any time” rule applies and what to expect at each step in a confidential and no-pressure environment.

When you reach out, we can:

Evaluate timing under New Hampshire’s “any time” statute and, where relevant, government-specific deadlines.
Assess institutional liability (schools, churches, youth organizations, employers) and potential evidence.
Explain how we can protect your privacy with appropriate court requests and practical safeguards.
Create a trauma-informed strategy that centers your safety, voice, and agency.

When you’re ready, we’re here. Call (209) 283-2205 for a free, confidential consultation.