New York Court Orders Nationwide Disclosure in CVA Case Against Jehovah’s Witnesses

Written by Yusra Javed

The decision in Pearl Grape v. Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., is a major development in the ongoing litigation brought under New York’s Child Victims Act (CVA). The case is a part of a huge wave of sexual abuse lawsuits brought under the CVA, which revived time-barred claims and allows survivors of childhood sexual abuse to pursue legal action.¹ In this matter, however, a New York state court has issued a significant discovery order that requires the Jehovah’s Witnesses Organization to produce nationwide reports of child sexual abuse collected from congregations across the United States.

Case Background

The case arises from the sexual abuse of Pearl Grape over a period of several years, from when she was seven years old until she was thirteen years old. Her abuser was someone seemingly trustworthy in the Jehovah’s Witness community – a ministerial servant within her congregation.² Since abuse occurred during her involvement with the Jehovah’s Witnesses Organization, Ms. Grape promptly filed suit under the CVA, which allowed her, as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and violence, to take legal action with their claims after the statute of limitations period in New York. Additionally, it has led to a substantial increase in litigation against both individuals and institutions alleged to have failed to prevent or appropriately respond to abuse.

The Court’s Ruling Granting Discovery of Prior Sexual Assaults

The most recent development in the case was that the court granted the plaintiff’s request for expanded discovery and ordered the defendants to release all of their records and documented reports of child sexual abuse. The ruling requires the disclosure of institutional records that may reflect allegations of abuse, internal reporting or practices, and the approach of handling such complicated and multifaceted complaints across the country. Instead of limiting discovery to local congregational records, the court permitted broader disclosure to show the relevance of and the connection between reporting structures and the claims victims come forward with.³

Significance for CVA Litigation and Institutional Liability

In expanding the scope of the court’s decision, the court acknowledged that evidence of centralized reporting or organizational knowledge may be relevant to issues of notice, awareness, and institutional liability. This reflects the reality that allegations of abuse often raise questions that are not limited to individual misconduct, but also about how institutions respond to reports of such incidents. Appellate and trial-level decisions involving the Jehovah’s Witnesses Organization have addressed institutional responsibility and discovery scope. For example, New York courts have considered whether entities like Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. are subject to claims based on control over policies, supervision of elders, and reporting procedures within congregations.

As CVA litigation continues to develop, courts are increasingly tasked with balancing the need for broad discovery in historical abuse cases against traditional limitations on scope. The Pearl Grape decision remains part of ongoing litigation, with additional discovery and motion practice expected. However, the court’s ruling represents an important step in expanding access to institutional records in Child Victims Act cases. It also reinforces a broader trend in New York courts toward permitting discovery into nationwide reporting systems where allegations of systemic failure to address child sexual abuse are at issue.

If you or a loved one may have been affected by sexual abuse because of a larger institution, you may have legal options. Contact our team for a confidential consultation to learn more about your rights and whether you could be eligible for compensation.

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References

1. New York Civil Practice Law and Rules § 214-G, “Certain Child Sexual Abuse Cases,” Justia Law, accessed May 1, 2026, https://law.justia.com/codes/new-york/cvp/article-2/214-g/.
2. RKJW1 Doe v. Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., 232 A.D.3d 637 (N.Y. App. Div. 2d Dep’t 2024), https://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2024/2024_05467.htm.
3. Ibid.