The South Dakota Supreme Court issued rulings in two boarding school cases on Thursday.

In Zephier v. Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls, nine former students of the St. Paul’s School on the Yankton Sioux Reservation sued over alleged abuse. A lower court dismissed the case, saying the plaintiffs waited too long to ring the case.

On appeal, the Supreme Court reversed and reinstated the claims of eight of the plaintiffs.

In One Star v. Sisters of St. Francis, two former students of the St. Francis Mission School on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation sued over alleged abuse. A lower court said they waited too long.

On appeal, the Supreme Court upheld the decision. Plaintiffs must sue within three years of discovering injuries from alleged abuse, the court said.

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