The Iowa Court of Appeals has declined to act on a request to extend the statute of limitations in an alleged sex abuse case.
The case involves a female identified as Jane Doe who alleged she had been sexually abused by her high school track coach in Keokuk beginning in 2009 when she was 16, and lasting until 2011. She filed her lawsuit in February of 2013, but the case was dismissed by the district court which determined the statute of limitations had run out.
Doe appealed asking the court to reconsider the special statute of limitations that says a case for damages for injuries from sexual abuse to a minor that are not discovered until that person becomes an adult must be brought within four years. One of her arguments was that extending the time to file a case would allow more abuse victims to pursue relief.
The Court of Appeals says it considered each of Doe’s arguments but said the court is not at liberty to overturn Iowa Supreme Court precedent on the issue, and upheld the district court decision to dismiss the claim.
See the full ruling here: Keokuk Jane Doe ruling PDF