New law takes effect allowing families of homicide victims more time to pursue justice

AUGUSTA — A new law will take effect on Friday, July 29, that gives families of homicide victims up to six years to file civil actions related to their loved one’s deaths.

“In many cases, the old law didn’t leave enough time for justice to be served,” remarked Sen. Linda Valentino, D-Saco, the law’s author. “To be able to help these families, who have been through so much, is very gratifying.”

The new law extends the statute of limitations for filing civil suit from two years to six. The shorter statute often did not provide enough time for families to assemble a case, a process that can take several years.  The legislation was pushed by a group of families, all of which lost loved ones in unsolved homicides.

Sen. Valentino has long advocated for those families, having previously passed legislation to create an Unsolved Homicide Unit in the Office of the Attorney General, which investigates so-called “cold cases.”

“This law represents how legislators can make common-sense changes in the law to help people,” said Valentino.  “If it helps one family find closure, it will have been worth it.”

The law has the backing of Attorney General Janet Mills and was supported unanimously by the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.