If someone linked to the LDS Church sexually abused you, ask a lawyer about a claim. Bring the place, dates and records you have.
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These are cited sources. Their inclusion does not imply that they endorse People’s Justice or reviewed this page.
Karen K. Caldwell · United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation · Chair of the panel issuing the April 3, 2025 order
Finding: The panel denied the request to group the listed LDS abuse cases. It said individual reports of abuse and the responses to those reports would be important facts in each case.
Order Denying Transfer, LDS sexual abuse litigation, April 3, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · Apr 3, 2025 · Checked Oct 3, 2026
Not covered by this case
Ask if the fee depends on the outcome and what share the firm would take. The ABA model rule is not the firm’s own agreement.
Source: ABA Model Rule 1.5: fees and expenses · as of Oct 3, 2026
Ask which costs would be deducted from a payment and what you would owe if there is no payment.
Source: ABA Model Rule 1.5: fees and expenses · as of Oct 3, 2026
Write down the place, years, person’s role and any reports you made. Mark what you are unsure of. Ask how to share records safely.
Source: JPML: LDS sexual abuse order denying transfer, April 3, 2025 · as of Oct 3, 2026
Ask a lawyer which claim and law they are checking. Ask for your own deadline and what else they need.
Source: SDNY: filing time limits require legal research · as of Oct 3, 2026
Ask whether the firm will take the case. Read the fee, cost and privacy terms before signing. Ask who will keep you informed.
Source: ABA Model Rule 1.5: fees and expenses · as of Oct 3, 2026
Survivors who experienced institutional betrayal (e.g., Church concealment of abuse, victim-blaming by leaders) had PTSD symptom severity scores 2.3x higher than survivors who did not experience institutional betrayal
Clergy abuse survivors showed elevated complex PTSD rates (78%) compared to other sexual abuse survivors (45%)
41% of surveyed religious leaders were unaware of their mandatory reporting obligations in their state
If someone linked to the LDS Church sexually abused you, ask a lawyer about a claim. Bring the place, dates and records you have. [1] [8]
The abuse was not your fault. For survivor support, call RAINN at 800-656-4673. You can ask about support and local care while you decide what legal questions to raise. [3] [4] [5]
Ask a lawyer to review what happened and the person’s link to the LDS Church. The place, time and law need a close look. Do not treat this page as a ruling on your own right to sue. [1] [7]
The April 3, 2025 federal panel order describes claims of sexual abuse by people linked to the Church. The alleged roles included clergy, teachers, missionaries, members and family members. Some people said they were children at the time; others said they were adults. Those are claims in the record, not findings that each person or the Church was liable. [1]
To prepare for advice, write down the person’s name or role, the ward or other place, and the years you recall. If you do not know a name, describe what you do know and say what is uncertain. Ask what else the lawyer needs. Do not guess a name or date to make your account look complete. [1]
If you have already signed with a firm, bring the agreement to that lawyer before signing a new one. Ask how an earlier claim or any release you signed affects the advice. Get a clear answer about whom the lawyer would represent and whom they would consider suing. [6] [8]
A federal panel denied a request to group LDS abuse cases on April 3, 2025. That order concerns how cases would be handled together. Ask a lawyer for the latest record that applies to your own claim. [1]
The panel said the claims involved different people, places and times. It said the details of reports of abuse, and the responses to those reports, would differ from case to case. Its decision to deny grouping was not a finding that the Church had won every abuse case. [1]
Do not use the date of that order as the date your claim started or ended. Ask which court, if any, has a case that would affect you. Ask the lawyer to explain the latest order in plain words, including what it means for a person who has not filed a case. [1]
No one has announced a payment program in the April 3, 2025 transfer order. That is the scope of that court record, not a claim that no Church abuse case has ever reached a deal. Ask a lawyer what relief your own claim could seek. [1] [8]
A civil claim can ask a court for money for harm. Asking for money is not the same as getting an award. The U.S. Courts guide explains that a court complaint describes the harm and how the person or group being sued is said to have caused it. [8]
If someone offers a dollar figure, ask where it comes from and whom it covers. Ask whether it is a court award, a signed deal or an estimate. Ask what fees and costs would be taken from any payment. Do not plan expenses around a number offered without those details. [8] [6]
Ask for the firm’s fee and cost terms before you sign. Ask if there is a charge for the first call. Get a clear answer about what you could owe if the claim brings no money. [6]
A fee based on the outcome is called a contingency fee. The American Bar Association’s model rule calls for a signed, written agreement for that type of fee. It says the agreement should explain the fee share and how case expenses are deducted. The model is a guide, not proof of the firm’s terms or every state’s rule. [6]
Ask the firm to separate its legal fee from other costs. Ask who pays those costs at the start and what happens if there is no payment to you. Ask for the terms in words you understand, and keep a copy. [6]
Ask a lawyer to work out your own deadline. Court guidance says the time limit depends on the law and the kind of claim. A date from another person’s case is not a check of your own facts. [7]
Bring the state and place where the abuse happened, your age at the time and the years you recall. Ask which law applies to a claim against the person who abused you and to any claim against an institution. Ask the lawyer to point to the rule they used and explain any uncertainty. [7] [1]
If you have heard that a special filing window has closed, ask which window and which claims it covered. Ask the lawyer to check other rules before deciding you cannot bring any claim. Do not use a headline or this page to rule out a claim. [7]
Put support and safety first. RAINN lists 800-656-4673 for its National Sexual Assault Hotline, available all day and night. Its staff can help you find resources for local care and support. [4] [5]
Choose a place and device where you feel safe to talk. Ask about privacy and reporting rules before sharing details with any service or legal intake team. RAINN explains its own reporting exceptions on its hotline page; do not assume those terms apply to another service. [5]
When you are ready, make a short note of what you remember. Separate what you saw or experienced from what someone later told you. Keep messages, letters or records you already have, and note where other records might be held. Ask a lawyer how to preserve and share material safely. [1] [8]
If you are helping someone else, listen without pushing for a full account. The Church’s own guide says not to blame the person and to be patient if they are not ready to talk. Ask what kind of help they want before making a legal call for them. [3]
Start by asking whom you are speaking with and what they need. Then ask a lawyer about the law, your deadline and the facts. Read the fee and privacy terms before you choose a next step. [8] [7] [6]
First, prepare your account: the place, years, person’s role and any reports you made. Mark gaps or dates you are unsure of. Ask what information to send and which channel to use. [1]
Second, ask for individual legal advice. Ask which possible claim the lawyer is checking and what deadline applies. Ask if more records are needed and whether any prior agreement affects the next step. [7] [1] [6]
Third, decide after you understand the terms. Ask whether the firm will take the case, what you would sign, and who would keep you informed. Ask about fees, expenses and how your identity would be handled. Do not assume that sending an inquiry means a court case has been filed. [6] [8] [9]
Discuss your account, any records you have and any reports you made with a lawyer. The federal panel said reports of abuse and the responses to them were key individual facts in the cases it reviewed. Ask what would help explain your own experience. [1]
Examples to discuss include messages, letters, photos, notes and the names or roles of people you spoke with. Say whether you have the item yourself or only know where it may be. Ask the lawyer which records matter and how to seek them. A list of possible records is not a promise that every item exists or will be available. [1] [8]
The Church describes its help line as advice for local leaders about reporting abuse. That is its stated policy, not a finding about what happened after your own report. Write down whom you told, when you told them and what they said or did, to the best of your memory. [2] [1]
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints operates an institutional structure that, according to lawsuits and investigative reporting, systematically enables sexual abuse and then conceals it. From the lay clergy system that places untrained bishops in positions of authority over children, to the help line that routes abuse reports through Church attorneys rather than law enforcement, to the internal discipline process that handles abuse as a sin rather than a crime — each structural element creates opportunities for abuse and barriers to accountability.
LDS bishops are lay clergy — unpaid local leaders with no professional training in child protection, pastoral counseling, or abuse recognition. Yet they are vested with enormous authority over their congregations, including conducting private one-on-one interviews with children and youth behind closed doors where sexually explicit questions about "moral worthiness" are standard. When a child discloses abuse to their bishop, the bishop is instructed to call the Church's help line rather than law enforcement. In states with clergy-penitent privilege exemptions, this structure creates a legal shield that prevents the information from reaching authorities.
The LDS Church maintains a toll-free help line that bishops are instructed to call when they learn of abuse allegations. While publicly described as a resource for "protecting children," the help line is staffed by attorneys at Kirton McConkie — the Church's outside law firm. In documented cases, the help line has advised bishops not to report abuse to police, even when state mandatory reporting laws required it, based on clergy-penitent privilege arguments. The AP's 2022 investigation found specific cases where the help line directed leaders to keep abuse reports confidential while the abuser continued to have access to children.
When abuse is reported within the Church, it enters an internal discipline process — a "disciplinary council" (now called a "membership council") that operates outside the legal system. These councils can excommunicate the abuser, restrict their membership, or take no action, but they have no power to arrest, prosecute, or protect future victims. In multiple documented cases, abusers who were disciplined internally were later reinstated to positions of trust — including callings that gave them access to children — without the congregation or law enforcement being informed of the prior abuse.
The LDS Church has actively lobbied in state legislatures to maintain clergy-penitent privilege exemptions to mandatory child abuse reporting laws. In Utah, Arizona, and other states with large LDS populations, clergy who learn of abuse through a "religious confession" are exempt from mandatory reporting requirements. The Church has interpreted this exemption broadly, arguing that virtually any disclosure to a bishop constitutes a privileged communication. This interpretation has been challenged in multiple lawsuits alleging it is used as a blanket excuse to avoid reporting abuse to law enforcement.
These structural mechanisms form the basis of institutional liability claims against the Church. Plaintiffs allege that the Church's structure was not merely negligent but constituted a deliberate system designed to protect the institution at the expense of children. The combination of untrained clergy, attorney-controlled help line, internal discipline, and mandatory reporting exemptions creates what attorneys describe as a "pipeline of concealment" that enabled serial abusers to operate for years or decades.
PTSD (DSM-5: 309.81 / ICD-11: 6B40) is a psychiatric condition that can develop after exposure to a traumatic event involving actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence. Complex PTSD (ICD-11: 6B41) adds disturbances in self-organization — chronic affect dysregulation, negative self-concept, and disturbed relationships — typically resulting from prolonged, repeated trauma where escape is not possible. Institutional sexual abuse, particularly by a trusted religious authority figure, produces some of the highest rates of complex PTSD documented in the clinical literature.
Unwanted memories, nightmares, and flashbacks of the abuse that intrude into daily functioning. Triggered by religious settings, authority figures, or sensory reminders of the abuser.
Avoidance of churches, religious music, Church members, scripture, and anything associated with the LDS Church or the abuse. Many survivors leave the Church entirely and experience distress when family members discuss religious topics.
Exaggerated startle response, difficulty sleeping, irritability, and persistent sense of danger. Particularly pronounced around authority figures and in institutional settings.
Deep-seated beliefs of being "broken," "unworthy," or "damaged." In LDS abuse cases, this is compounded by the Church's emphasis on sexual purity and worthiness, which causes survivors to internalize the abuse as their own moral failure.
Difficulty managing emotions, ranging from emotional numbness and dissociation to explosive anger. Difficulty experiencing positive emotions or maintaining emotional equilibrium.
Inability to trust authority figures, intimate partners, or institutions. Patterns of relationship avoidance or chaotic, unstable relationships. Difficulty parenting due to fear of replicating abusive dynamics.
Destruction of the survivor's relationship with God, faith, and religious community. Loss of the entire social and spiritual framework that organized their life. Existential crisis about meaning and purpose. This is a distinct category of harm recognized by trauma specialists and increasingly by courts.
Self-medication with alcohol, drugs, or prescription medications to manage PTSD symptoms. LDS survivors may develop substance use particularly late, after leaving the Church's abstinence culture, with no healthy coping strategies in place.
Chronic or episodic suicidal thoughts. Self-harm behaviors including cutting, burning, or other self-injury. Suicide attempts. Studies show institutional abuse survivors have suicide attempt rates 3-5x higher than the general population.
Complex PTSD from institutional sexual abuse is a chronic condition that can be managed but rarely fully resolves without sustained professional treatment. Evidence-based trauma therapies (EMDR, CPT, prolonged exposure) produce significant symptom reduction in 60-80% of patients. However, the spiritual injury component — destruction of faith, community, and meaning — may persist indefinitely and constitutes a distinct category of compensable harm in litigation. Early intervention dramatically improves outcomes, but many LDS abuse survivors do not seek treatment until decades after the abuse due to Church-related shame, secrecy, and suppression of the abuse.
The risk of sexual abuse within LDS Church contexts varies based on the institutional setting, the position of the abuser, and the vulnerability of the victim. These profiles describe the common exposure contexts in LDS abuse litigation.
One-on-One Interview with Ecclesiastical Authority
Youth Programs, Camps, and Scouting Activities
Full-Time Missionary Service
Religious Education Settings
These risk profiles describe institutional patterns documented in litigation and investigative reporting. Every survivor's experience is unique. An attorney can evaluate your specific circumstances during a free, confidential consultation.
The abuse litigation is creating unprecedented financial, reputational, and institutional pressure on one of the world's wealthiest religious organizations.
A growing movement of current and former members is demanding transparency, policy reform, and accountability for the Church's handling of abuse reports.
The LDS Church's financial resources mean that survivors can pursue meaningful compensation, and the growing scope of litigation is forcing institutional change.
Multiple state attorneys general have investigated the LDS Church's handling of sexual abuse reports, and state legislatures across the country are moving to eliminate or narrow the clergy-penitent privilege exemptions that have shielded the Church from mandatory reporting obligations.
Attorney general investigations, legislative proposals and investigative journalism have focused on how the LDS Church handles abuse reports and on clergy-penitent exemptions from mandatory reporting.
States with significant LDS populations have widely varying statutes of limitations for childhood sexual abuse claims. Survivors should not assume it is too late to file — many states have enacted laws specifically to extend these deadlines.
Most states recognize that childhood sexual abuse survivors often do not come forward for years or decades. This has led to widespread SOL reform legislation. The psychological dynamics of abuse — shame, fear, religious community pressure, and the complex relationship between survivors and their Church community — further delay disclosure. Courts have recognized these realities in applying the discovery rule broadly to childhood abuse claims.
California AB 218 eliminated the SOL for childhood sexual abuse against private entities. She can file at any age. California is the most favorable jurisdiction for older claims.
Utah extends the SOL to age 35. He is close to that limit. Whether that time has passed depends on his facts, so he shouldn't rule himself out. A lawyer can tell him. Utah's SOL is significantly shorter than neighboring states.
Idaho's SOL for adult sexual abuse may apply rather than the childhood abuse extensions. The analysis depends on whether she was legally an adult at the time and the specific circumstances. An attorney experienced in Idaho law is essential.
The Church has enormous resources to fight claims on procedural grounds. An experienced LDS abuse attorney will know which state's laws apply, whether lookback windows are available, and how to maximize your chances of a recovery.
Your state
Deadlines vary by state and by case. A lawyer can confirm yours.
Survivor protections
Each state receives a grade based on its statute of limitations, discovery rules, revival windows, and institutional accountability provisions.
51 states & territories
Age 21 (2 years after 19)
No civil SOL for felony-level child sex abuse; lesser cla...
Age 30
No limit (prospective)
No limit for abuse on/after 1/1/2024 (AB 452); otherwise age 40 or 5 yrs from discovery (CCP 340.1)
No limit for claims accruing 2022+
Until age 51 (30 years after majority at 21)
No limit
Until age 40 or 5 years from discovery (whichever later).
CSA (sexual battery <16, post-7/1/2010): No limit; Other CSA
typically until age 23 (5 years after 18) with narrow dis...
Extended age/discovery framework (claims timely if within...
later of age 23 (5 years post-majority) or 5 years from d...
No limit
commonly referenced ≈ age 31 under recent reforms
Default 2-year PI limit tolled to majority → effectively ...
Later of age 21 or 3 years from discovery
Later of age 28 or 10 years from last act; limited discov...
No limit
None (no time limit, retroactive).
No limit (Child Victims Act, retroactive)
Later of age 53 or 7 years from discovery
Extended (e.g., to ~age 52) with discovery allowances und...
No limit
Generally 3 years after majority (age 21) → ~age 24
31st birthday (18+13) vs perpetrator per statute; institu...
27th birthday (18+9) or 3 years from discovery (whichever...
No limit against individual perpetrators (for post-2017 a...
No limit vs perpetrators; vs other defendants: to 38th bi...
CSA & ASA (for conduct that is a sexual assault under RSA 63
to age 55 or 7 years from discovery (later of the two)
to age 24 or 3 years from first disclosure to a licensed ...
To age 55 (CVA); or within 5 years of discovery for certain offenses
to age 28
21 years after the plaintiff knew or reasonably should ha...
Until age 30 (12 years after turning 18).
Until age 45 (limited discovery available).
Age 40 or 5 years after discovery (later).
Until age 55 (prospective).
35 years from abuse or 7 years from discovery (2026 law)
Until age 27 or 3 years after discovery (later).
3 years from act OR discovery against the perpetrator; VS...
30 years after majority (age 48) + 3 years from discovery...
30 years after majority (age 48) for many claims accruing...
CSA v. perpetrator: none (§78B-2-308); CSA v. non-perp indiv
None (no limit)
CSA (general): 20 years after accrual (minors’ accrual typic
None for assaults on/after 6/6/2024; pre-2024: later of 3...
until age 36 (18+18) with 4-year discovery and an outer r...
Age 35 vs abuser and clergy/employer (§§ 893.587, 895.442...
Later of age 26 (18+8) or 3 years after discovery
The Church describes the help line as advice for local leaders about abuse reporting. That is the Church’s stated purpose, not a finding about how a report was handled. For survivor support, call RAINN at 800-656-4673.
Source: newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org
A statute of limitations is a defense against lawsuits — it does not prevent an institution from resolving a claim brought to it directly. LDS claims have been resolved confidentially even where suit would have been time-barred, particularly where the survivor clearly identifies the person responsible. A confidential review settles the deadline question for your specific facts; no outcome is ever guaranteed.
Ask a lawyer which person or institution your facts could support a claim against. The federal panel’s 2025 order describes claims against the Church and its subdivisions, but it does not decide liability. Bring the person’s role, place and any reports you made.
Source: jpml.uscourts.gov
Do not assume your identity will be kept private if you file. Most federal court filings are public, with rules to protect some personal information and some sealed records. Ask a lawyer what would be public in your court and what protections they could seek.
Source: uscourts.gov
Not from the JPML order alone. It says discovery would focus on case-specific issues, including whether and to whom each plaintiff reported alleged abuse and how those people responded. A lawyer can check the privilege rule in the relevant state.
Source: JPML Order Denying Transfer, LDS Church Abuse MDL No. 3150 · as of Oct 7, 2026
It depends on whether the facts involve the Boy Scouts, the Church, or both. The JPML order lists some LDS abuse cases and says the alleged perpetrators and their relationships to the Church varied, but it does not decide BSA-settlement eligibility. A lawyer can compare your records with the BSA settlement and any church-related claim.
Source: JPML Order Denying Transfer, LDS Church Abuse MDL No. 3150 · as of Oct 7, 2026
Possibly, but the JPML order does not decide whether a decades-old claim can be filed. It says the alleged abuse in the listed LDS cases ranged from 1968 to 2023 and involved varied facts. A lawyer can check the state deadline and any lookback rule.
Source: JPML Order Denying Transfer, LDS Church Abuse MDL No. 3150 · as of Oct 7, 2026
The JPML order discusses lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by individuals associated with the LDS Church. It says alleged perpetrators included clergy, missionaries, teachers, fellow members, and family members, with alleged abuse ranging from single incidents to years. It does not decide whether any specific person has a claim.
Source: JPML Order Denying Transfer, LDS Church Abuse MDL No. 3150 · as of Oct 7, 2026
Checked against 5 primary sources by People's Justice editors · Updated
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