Court Opinion

ID: 9579648
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 21:57:06.824904+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:35:38.887647
License: Public Domain

AMUNDSON, Judge
(dissenting).
I respectfully dissent. Once again I am compelled by conscience on this issue. Earlier, I noted, regretfully, that:
As appellant argues, it is only logical that repression of the memories of sexual abuse would occur after the abuse ended. In such a situation, however, if the victim was aware of the fact of abuse and its wrongfulness after the last abusive incident, then the statute of limitation begins to run. It would make no difference that the victim had completely repressed the memories for more than 6 years, because the statute of limitation is moving inexorably. The result is troubling and we make them double victims of the abuse. First, by the wrongdoer, then by legislative fiat. For too many victims this statute may be of little or no use.
Roe v. Archdiocese of St. Paul & Minneapolis, 518 N.W.2d 629, 638 (Minn.App.1994) (Amundson, J., concurring), review denied (Minn. Aug. 24, 1994).
The issue demands consideration in the broader context of what we know about memory and psychology. Psychologists and psychotherapists are in disagreement about the phenomenon of repressed memories and the effects of sexual abuse. If such experts are in disagreement over these issues, how can we say as a matter of law that a “reasonable [layjperson” would know that emotional problems occurring long after the abuse were caused by that abuse?
As I said, it is conscience which calls me to dissent. And I recall vividly being taught the virtues of fidelity to conscience. Perhaps these parties will understand that better than any others. My lesson comes from a 16th century monk who truculently defied all known religious and secular authorities of the time when he declared:
Unless I am proved wrong * * * by right reason I cannot recant. To do so would require me to offend my conscience, and to do that is neither wise nor safe. Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise.
Martin Luther, Diet of Worms
April 18, 1521