LDS Church Abuse Statistics in Salt Lake City
62% of state population
LDS Church Members in Utah
4,000+
LDS Church headquarters staff (Temple Square campus)
$100B+
Estimated LDS Church assets managed from SLC
150+
LDS abuse cases filed in Utah (2020-2025)
Courts in Salt Lake City, Utah
Third Judicial District Court — Salt Lake County
450 S State St, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
U.S. District Court — District of Utah
351 S West Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Hospitals & Trauma Centers in Salt Lake City
University of Utah Health — Trauma-Informed Care Program
50 N Medical Dr, Salt Lake City, UT 84132
Liability Considerations in Salt Lake City
Suing the Church in Its Home State
Filing suit against the LDS Church in Utah presents unique strategic considerations. The LDS Church is the dominant institution in Utah — culturally, politically, and economically. Utah's statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse (until age 35) is more restrictive than California or New York, which may cause some survivors to file in more favorable jurisdictions if their claims have connections to those states.
However, Utah's courts have jurisdiction over the Corporation of the President — the Utah-incorporated entity that is the primary institutional defendant — and many key witnesses and Church documents are located in Salt Lake City. For survivors whose claims are time-barred in Utah, attorneys often explore whether other states with connections to the abuse (where the claimant now lives, where the abuser now resides, or where the Church's policy decisions were communicated) provide more favorable legal frameworks.
Your Legal Team
David Martinez
Senior Partner
Salt Lake City, UT
David Martinez spent the first decade of his career as an active LDS Church member before leaving the Church after taking on his first clergy abuse case in 2005. His intimate knowledge of LDS Church structure, policy, and culture — combined with 25 years of litigation experience — makes him uniquely qualified to represent LDS abuse survivors. David has filed cases against the Church in Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, and Oregon, and has obtained significant confidential settlements on behalf of dozens of survivors.
Education
- J.D., University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law (1999)
- B.A., History, Brigham Young University (1996)