What if the deadline has already passed?
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 (the $32 million West Virginia settlement stayed sealed from 2018 until Floodlit revealed it from court records in 2025), 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.
I only remember the ward and the years — not the name. Is that enough to start?
Often, yes. The church keeps centralized, longitudinal records — callings, ward assignments, moves — and leaders were documented, known figures. A specific ward or stake, an approximate time period, the person’s role, and a detailed description are frequently enough to definitively identify someone decades later. Photographs, yearbooks, and ward directories help.
I was abused in an LDS Boy Scout troop. Do I go through the BSA settlement or the church?
They are separate paths. The BSA bankruptcy trust compensates Scouting abuse claims, but the bankruptcy judge rejected the church’s attempt to buy a release of non-Scouting claims (August 1, 2022), so a direct claim against the church may remain available. Which path — or both — fits your situation depends on timing and facts; a review can map it.
Will my family, my ward, or my bishop find out?
A case review is confidential, and courts generally allow survivors to file as Jane or John Doe so your name stays out of the public record. Whether to ever tell anyone in your life remains your choice; nothing about a review requires it.
Will I have to face the person who abused me?
The overwhelming majority of these claims resolve without trial — confidential resolution is how the record shows they typically end. Civil claims are also separate from criminal cases: you do not need a police report, and you control whether one is ever made.
What does it cost?
Reviews are free and carry no obligation. If a claim proceeds, attorneys in this area typically work on a contingency-fee basis; fee arrangements vary by attorney and are explained before you agree to anything.
What are the helpline documents, and why do they matter?
When bishops report abuse to the church’s helpline, legally risky cases are referred to the church’s law firm, Kirton McConkie, and the church asserts privilege over those records. If you or a parent told a bishop and nothing happened, that disclosure is evidence — what the church knew and when is exactly what current cover-up litigation tests.
How does “definitive identification” actually work?
It means connecting a person to the abuse with enough certainty to act: a name, or a combination of photographs, records, and a detailed description tied to a specific ward, stake, or mission and time period. You do not need to describe the abuse itself to begin — identification and timeframe are where every evaluation starts.
