1,972. Filing the Case Later

Naarah Besulah 2:15

If a girl who was raped or seduced doesn’t file a court case before she reaches maturity, she marries or her father dies, then she is personally entitled to the three or four payments, as appropriate. If she came to court and opened a case, after which she reached maturity or married, then her father is entitled to the payments. If her father dies after she opens court the court case, then the payments go to her brothers because they are the father’s heirs. Once she has started proceedings (as a minor), her father is considered to have already taken possession of the payments.

Naarah Besulah 2:16

If a girl was betrothed and divorced, she is only entitled to the fine (and not the other penalty payments). If she was raped or seduced and later betrothed to a different man, her father is the one who receives the fine and damages. This is because betrothal doesn’t remove a girl from her father’s domain.