What This Statute Says
This section creates a long civil window for victims of unlawful mutilation when a mandatory reporter failed to file a required report under 13-1214 or 13-3620. The deadline runs from the victim's eighteenth birthday and extends ten years from that date.
A. Notwithstanding sections 12-505, 12-511 and 12-542, an action for the recovery of damages based on the commission against the plaintiff of an act in violation of section 13-1214 or 13-3620 if the violation involved the failure to report unlawful mutilation shall be commenced not later than ten years from the date the plaintiff turns eighteen years of age or six years after the effective date of this section, whichever is longer.
A.R.S. § 12-513When This Statute Comes Into Play
This statute applies to:
- A young adult who learns that a teacher, doctor, or other mandatory reporter failed to report abuse they witnessed years earlier.
- A victim's family seeking accountability from professionals who should have intervened.
- A protected person whose injuries went unreported because of failures by trusted caregivers.
This deadline is independent of A.R.S. 12-502 and the general limitations periods in 12-505 and 12-542.
What This Means for Arizona Families
Some of the worst injuries happen behind closed doors, and trusted professionals sometimes look the other way. Arizona's longer deadline acknowledges that child victims often need years before they can come forward, and that the failure of a mandatory reporter is a separate wrong worth pursuing.
If your family is dealing with the long-term consequences of childhood mutilation or related abuse and a mandatory reporter failed to act at the time, this section preserves the civil claim well into adulthood. The ten-year window from age eighteen is generous compared with ordinary limitations periods, but it is still a deadline. Our FAQ on how guardianship and conservatorship work in Arizona covers related protections when capacity is at issue. Many estate planning questions surface alongside personal injury claims, especially when special needs planning or a special needs trust is involved. An Arizona attorney with experience in both tracks can coordinate the civil action and the longer-term planning so a recovery is preserved without disqualifying the victim from benefits.