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Read. Follow. Verify.Maryland Senate Bill 693 Repeals Attorney Fee Caps in Child Sexual Abuse Civil Actions
Last action · March 9, 2026: Hearing 3/10 at 1:15 p.m.Sponsor: Will Smith
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What This Bill Would Do
Maryland Senate Bill 693 removes the previous percentage caps on attorney fees that lawyers may charge or receive in civil damage actions arising from child sexual abuse. The repeal applies retroactively to claims filed on or after June 1, 2025, and takes effect on June 1, 2026.
Changes how legal representation costs are negotiated for plaintiffs pursuing child sexual abuse damages, removing statutory limits that previously capped counsel fees at 20 percent of a settlement or 25 percent of a judgment.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
attorneys representing plaintiffs in child sexual abuse civil actions
claimants filing civil actions for child sexual abuse
Plaintiffs filing civil damage claims for childhood sexual abuse are subject to changed legal fee structures for actions filed on or after June 1, 2025.
Key Facts
- Repeals the limitation restricting counsel fees to 20% of a settlement or 25% of a judgment in civil actions for child sexual abuse.
- Applies retroactively to actions for damages arising out of childhood sexual abuse filed on or after June 1, 2025.
- Protects existing obligations and contract rights from being impaired by the Act.
- Takes effect on June 1, 2026.
Show all 7 facts
- Defines sexual abuse within the statute to include adult-allowed or encouraged obscene or pornographic activities, prostitution, incest, rape, sexual offenses, and other sexual conduct constituting a crime.
- Maintains provisions allowing actions for damages arising from childhood sexual abuse to be filed at any time, notwithstanding standard statutes of limitations or repose.
- Maintains noneconomic damage caps of $1,500,000 for actions filed on or before May 31, 2025, and $700,000 for actions filed on or after June 1, 2025, for certain time-barred claims.
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently filed. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Committee.
Procedural history
4 actions- Mar 9, 2026SenateHearing 3/10 at 1:15 p.m.
- Mar 9, 2026SenateHearing canceled
- Feb 12, 2026SenateHearing 3/10 at 1:00 p.m.
- Feb 6, 2026SenateIntroducedFirst Reading Judicial Proceedings
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Sources
mgaleg.maryland.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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