Boy Scouts of America Litigation Timeline
September 12, 2025
Below is chronologically ordered list of milestones related to Boy Scouts of America litigation
2020
- February – BSA files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
- May – Bar date set (deadline: November 16)
- November – Bar date: deadline to file claims passes; over 82,000 survivors submit claims
2021
- Q1–Q3 – Settlement negotiations; development of the Plan of Reorganization (“The Plan”)
- December – Initial voting deadline for claimants to approve or reject the Plan
2022
- March – 85% of claimants vote to approve the Plan
- July – Judge Laurie Silverstein approves most of the Plan
- September – Bankruptcy Court grants final approval of the Plan
2023
- April 19 – The Plan becomes effective; the Scouting Settlement Trust is established
- April 24 – Multiple appeals filed with the Third Circuit from confirmation of the BSA plan of reorganization
- August 17 – Processing portal (“The Portal”) opens for all claims
- December - Trustee sets claim filing deadline (5/31/2025)
2024
- February 22 – Emergency stay denied in light of Purdue Pharma decision; BSA appeal proceeds
- May 31 – Original Matrix claim review deadline
- July 26 – Updated Matrix claim review deadline
- November 13 – Oral arguments held before the Third Circuit (three-judge panel)
2025
- January 23 - The Trust announces completion of 25% of Matrix claim reviews
- May 13 – Third Circuit issues opinion affirming Plan confirmation, citing statutory mootness
- May 19 – The Trust announces completion of 50% of Matrix claim reviews
- Late May – Appellants file petition for rehearing en banc
- June 13 – Third Circuit denies rehearing en banc
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On May 13, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued a ruling that dismissed several outstanding appeals related to the confirmation of the Boy Scouts of America’s bankruptcy plan. These appeals had been filed by certain abuse survivors and non-settling insurance carriers. As a result of this decision, the Settlement Trust has continued processing claims, issuing eligibility decisions, and making initial payments.
In the ongoing legal battles surrounding the Boy Scouts of America and the sexual abuse scandal, it is more important than ever to understand the history and context of this institutional crisis. In a recent article for Bleeding Heartland , author Kurt Meyer provides a compelling look at this very issue. The piece, titled "Scouts' Dishonor: An American Institution Battles Sexual Abuse," is a must-read for anyone following the current litigation and seeking to understand the decades of abuse that led to it. We encourage you to read the full article here: Scouts' Dishonor: An American institution battles sexual abuse .
8/26/2025 Update! The AFFF MDL filing deadline is extended to September 10th, 2025. This deadline creates a "Filing Facilitation Window" for unfiled cases and was established by the court to encourage the filing of lawsuits related to the AFFF (Aqueous Film-Forming Foam) litigation. While cases can still be filed after this date, they will be subject to stricter procedural requirements and compressed deadlines.