Reviewed by Survivor Rights Center · Updated 2026-07-06
California has two concurrent adult survivor revival windows. An attorney must determine which applies to a specific claim -- the two windows are not interchangeable.
Assembly Bill 2777, signed into California law in 2022 and effective January 1, 2023, revives civil claims for adult survivors of sexual assault -- those who were 18 years of age or older at the time the assault occurred. Before AB 2777, California's standard statute of limitations for sexual assault civil claims had already expired for many survivors of older conduct. The law temporarily removes that expired limitation as a defense, allowing survivors to file claims that courts would otherwise have dismissed as untimely.
The window runs from January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2026. A claim filed within that window is treated as timely for purposes of the statute of limitations, regardless of when the assault occurred or how long ago the original limitation period expired. Claims may be brought against individual defendants and institutional defendants -- employers, schools, religious organizations, healthcare entities, and any other entity that may bear civil liability for the assault. The specific legal theories available depend on the relationship between the defendant and the plaintiff and the circumstances of the assault.
AB 2777 is specifically for adult survivors. California's prior lookback statutes addressed childhood sexual abuse separately, under different provisions that have produced hundreds of millions of dollars in institutional settlements. AB 2777 extends a similar opportunity to survivors who were adults when the abuse occurred -- people who have historically had fewer options in California courts because adult survivor claims have been subject to shorter original limitation periods and fewer revival statutes.
California enacted a second adult survivor revival statute in 2026: Assembly Bill 250, effective January 1, 2026, which opens a two-year window running through December 31, 2027. AB 250 is designed for survivors whose civil claims expired under a specific set of limitation periods -- those that governed adult sexual assault claims before the prior round of California SOL reform took effect in 2019.
The interaction between AB 2777 and AB 250 is a question of legal analysis, not simple arithmetic. Each survivor's situation depends on the date of the assault, the limitation period that originally applied to the claim, and how the two revival windows overlap with each other and with any tolling doctrines that may apply. For many adult survivors, one of the two windows will clearly apply; for others, both may apply, creating multiple pathways to file. For still others, neither window may apply because their claims are still timely under existing (not-yet-expired) limitation periods.
The practical implication is that an adult survivor who has not yet consulted a California civil attorney should not attempt to determine on their own which window applies. The analysis requires knowledge of California civil procedure, statute of limitations doctrine, and the specific facts of the claim. An attorney can make that determination in a free consultation -- and determining it correctly matters, because filing under the wrong provision or waiting for one window while missing another could have consequences.
Six months is not a long time in civil litigation terms. The process of evaluating a civil claim, identifying defendants, gathering available evidence, and drafting a properly pled complaint takes months even in straightforward cases. Institutional cases -- those involving employers, churches, schools, or healthcare systems -- are more complex, and the investigation required to identify and name the right institutional defendants takes longer.
Survivors who plan to consult an attorney in October or November 2026 are taking a real risk of running out of time to properly prepare a complaint before the December 31 deadline. Courts do not grant extensions to revival windows; the legislature created the window with a fixed closing date, and claims not filed by that date will face the very limitation defenses that the window temporarily removed. A case filed in haste at the last minute is also more vulnerable to being dismissed for procedural defects.
The Survivor Rights Center provides educational information to help survivors understand their legal options; it does not provide legal advice or referrals to attorneys. For survivors who need attorney assistance, contacting a civil attorney who specializes in California sexual abuse claims is the recommended next step. RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline (800-656-4673) can provide support and refer survivors to local resources as they navigate the decision about whether to pursue a civil claim.
If you are a California adult survivor who believes you may have a civil claim under AB 2777, these steps in order will give you the best chance of using the window effectively.
Generally, California's revival window applies to claims under California law, which typically means the assault occurred in California or the defendant is subject to California jurisdiction. Survivors whose assaults occurred outside California should consult an attorney about which state's law governs their claim.
Defendants can still contest the merits of the claim, argue that no assault occurred, challenge the evidence, and raise other substantive defenses. What AB 2777 removes is the statute of limitations as a procedural bar to the claim being heard. The merits remain fully litigated.
AB 2777 may have changed the analysis if your prior consultation occurred before January 2023 or was based on law that predated the revival windows. If a prior attorney told you your claim was time-barred, it is worth consulting again to see whether a revival window now applies.
This article is general educational information, not legal advice. Confirm specifics with a licensed attorney in your state — most consult for free. If you need support now, the RAINN hotline is 800-656-4673, 24/7.
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