Femala Fleming v. Amateur Athletic Union of the United States, Inc.

Fleming v. Amateur Athletic Union: Court Rules on Statute of Limitations

What Happened

Femala Fleming filed a lawsuit against the Amateur Athletic Union, claiming the organization negligently hired and supervised someone who harmed her. The original court dismissed her case, arguing she filed it too late.

What the Court Decided

The appellate court reversed that decision. The court found that a Wisconsin law extends the deadline for filing cases involving negligent hiring and supervision. This law allows the time limit to run until the victim turns thirty-five years old, rather than expiring much earlier. Because of this extension, Fleming's lawsuit was filed on time and could proceed.

Why This Matters for Workers

This ruling protects people harmed during youth activities or employment situations. It gives them until age thirty-five to file claims against organizations that failed to properly screen or monitor their employees or volunteers. This matters because victims of negligent hiring or supervision often don't understand what happened to them immediately, or may be too young to pursue legal action. This law ensures they have adequate time to seek justice and hold organizations accountable.