LDS Lawsuit for Child Sexual Abuse

For decades, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church or Mormon Church) has operated behind a carefully constructed curtain of respectability. With over 17 million members and a global reputation for discipline and family values, the Mormon Church portrays itself as a moral anchor in a world adrift. No question, many of its members have followed the path of righteousness.

But underneath that public image lies a darker truth: a systemic pattern of sexual abuse and institutional cover-up that has left thousands of survivors in its wake. These survivors are now filing Mormon Church sexual abuse lawsuits to expose the truth, seek justice, and ensure that what happened to them never happens to another child again.

In 2025, the scope and magnitude of LDS sex abuse lawsuits has expanded significantly. These legal claims target not just individual perpetrators, bishops, missionaries, youth leaders, and other members of the LDS Church. They target the institution itself, alleging decades of deliberate concealment and obstruction. These LDS Church sexual abuse lawsuits aim to shine a spotlight on what plaintiffs allege is a coordinated system of silence, where protecting the Church’s reputation was prioritized over protecting children from predators.

We want to help you. Call our lawyers today at 888-322-3010 or reach out online to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced LDS sexual abuse attorneys.

The Allegations Behind the LDS Sex Abuse Lawsuits

Survivors filing Mormon Church sex abuse lawsuits are not accusing the Church of isolated lapses. They are alleging something far more sinister: that LDS leaders knew of sexual abuse within their ranks and chose to conceal it. Complaints repeatedly describe how bishops failed to report abuse to authorities, how victims were urged to forgive rather than pursue justice, and how church-run hotlines were used to shield the Church from liability.

Multiple Mormon Church sex abuse lawsuits detail similar patterns. A child discloses abuse. A local leader contacts LDS headquarters or legal counsel through the Church’s risk management division. Then, rather than informing law enforcement, the Church allegedly initiates damage control. Some survivors say they were offered hush money. Others were threatened with excommunication or social ostracization.

This alleged institutional conduct forms the core of LDS Church sexual abuse litigation. The lawsuits argue that the Church failed in its most basic moral and legal duty: to protect its most vulnerable members.

Who Are the Perpetrators?

The LDS Church is a deeply hierarchical organization. Bishops and stake presidents wield significant authority over their congregations. Missionaries, youth leaders, and seminary instructors often serve as trusted spiritual guides for children and teens. But that trust was all too often exploited.

The defendants named in these LDS sexual abuse lawsuits include bishops accused of grooming children under the guise of spiritual counseling, missionaries who allegedly abused their authority to coerce minors, and youth leaders who reportedly preyed on their wards during church camps and overnight events. And behind them, plaintiffs claim, stood an institution that knew what was happening but chose inaction.

Some lawsuits even target the Mormon Church’s Indian Student Placement Program (ISPP), which placed thousands of Native American children into LDS foster homes throughout the 20th century. Survivors from these homes allege widespread abuse and systemic neglect.

Where Were These LDS Sex Abuse Cases Occurring?

Pretty much everywhere. Reports of sexual abuse within the Mormon Church have surfaced in Utah, California, Idaho, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Oregon, and far beyond. From suburban wards to rural branches, the problem is not confined by geography.

The sheer number of LDS sexual abuse lawsuits in states like California and Washington has made headlines. In April 2023, for example, a jury awarded $2.8 billion in damages to a woman who had been abused for years by her stepfather, a Church member. According to the lawsuit, LDS leaders knew about the abuse and responded not with protection, but with a meeting where the victim was shamed into silence.

This is just horrific. Yet these stories are not anomalies. They are part of a broader pattern described in case after case.

What the LDS Church Allegedly Did—and Did Not Do

Central to many LDS abuse lawsuits is the Church’s abuse reporting hotline. On paper, it was designed to help clergy respond to abuse allegations. In practice, plaintiffs argue, it became a legal shield.

When bishops called the hotline, they were often routed to attorneys whose goal was not justice but risk management. These lawyers, it is alleged, advised Church leaders on how to minimize liability rather than how to protect children.

Church policies, according to the complaints, encouraged internal resolution. Survivors were directed to forgive their abusers and discouraged from going to the police. Perpetrators were shuffled to new congregations, given new titles, and left with continued access to children.

Some bishops, plaintiffs claim, destroyed records. Others threatened victims with disfellowship. Still others enabled known abusers to serve in leadership roles long after credible accusations had been made.

The Legal Claims in Mormon Church Abuse Lawsuits

These are not minor lawsuits. Plaintiffs are filing major legal actions asserting claims such as:

• Negligent hiring, training, and supervision
• Negligent failure to warn or protect
• Breach of fiduciary duty
• Vicarious liability for agents and employees
• Fraudulent concealment
• Intentional infliction of emotional distress
• Violation of state child abuse reporting statutes

The LDS Church, as the lawsuits argue, created an environment where abuse could flourish unchecked. By choosing to protect its image instead of children, the Church breached its moral covenant with members and violated state law.

In some cases, survivors are also seeking punitive damages because the Church’s actions were not just negligent but willfully indifferent to the suffering of its members.

Statute of Limitations and the Revival of Time-Barred Claims

For decades, survivors of sexual abuse within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints found themselves locked out of the justice system. Not because their stories were not credible, but because the law imposed strict filing deadlines. Many victims were told they had waited too long, even if the delay was the direct result of trauma, shame, or institutional manipulation. These were not judgments on the facts. They were denials based on a clock that never accounted for the lifelong effects of childhood sexual abuse.

Lookback Windows Are Opening Doors for LDS Survivors

Thankfully, legislative momentum has shifted. A growing number of states have passed survivor-friendly laws that allow adults who were sexually abused as children to file civil lawsuits, even if their claims were previously considered too old. These temporary “lookback windows” are not loopholes. They are acknowledgments of what trauma research has confirmed for years: that survivors often delay disclosure, especially when the abuser was a trusted figure like a bishop, missionary, or youth leader within the Mormon Church.

In states such as California and Maine, lawmakers have passed sweeping reforms that eliminate the statute of limitations for many child sexual abuse claims. In Maryland, a groundbreaking law took effect in 2023 that not only removed the civil statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse claims but also revived previously time-barred cases. Pennsylvania is now considering similar legislation that would provide a two-year revival period. These are significant developments that are beginning to reshape Mormon Church sexual abuse litigation across the country.

Our Attorneys Are Fighting to Overcome Legal Barriers

Our law firm is working tirelessly to help LDS abuse survivors navigate these changing legal landscapes. We are exploring every viable legal theory to overcome statute of limitations defenses in Mormon Church sex abuse lawsuits. This includes arguing delayed discovery when survivors only recently understood the connection between their abuse and long-term psychological damage such as PTSD, addiction, depression, or chronic anxiety.

We are also pursuing claims under new legislative reforms that create exceptions or temporary windows to file LDS sexual abuse lawsuits that were once dismissed or never filed. In some cases, courts are beginning to acknowledge that the legal system must catch up with modern psychological understandings of trauma. Our attorneys are prepared to litigate these issues aggressively and to push back on every attempt the LDS Church makes to evade accountability.

Statutes of Limitation Should Not Protect Institutions That Concealed Abuse

The Mormon Church sex abuse scandal is not just about individual perpetrators. It is about a culture of silence and protectionism that enabled abusers while leaving victims in the shadows. In many cases, LDS bishops, stake presidents, and church officials failed to report abuse, discouraged victims from speaking up, or actively covered up misconduct. Some plaintiffs allege that church leadership offered confidential settlements or encouraged forgiveness over law enforcement involvement. These actions helped shield predators from scrutiny while inflicting additional trauma on those already harmed.

The legal doctrine of delayed discovery and the revival of time-barred claims through lookback windows is a necessary correction to a system that historically prioritized institutional protection over survivor justice. And while the LDS Church has spent decades building internal systems to deflect liability, including confidential helplines and risk management teams, our legal team is committed to breaking through those walls to expose the truth.

Many Claims May Now Be Eligible Despite Past Expiration Dates

If you were sexually abused by someone connected to the Mormon Church and were told your claim was too late, you may have options today. LDS sexual abuse statute of limitations laws have changed significantly in recent years, and your case might now be viable under the new legal frameworks. You should not assume the door is closed until an experienced attorney has reviewed your circumstances.

We are seeing an increase in Mormon Church sex abuse lawsuits across the United States. In California alone, over 90 cases have been filed against LDS clergy, missionaries, and church members. Some of these lawsuits involve decades-old abuse and allege that the Church knew about the misconduct but did nothing to stop it. These cases are now moving forward because of changes in the law and the determined work of plaintiffs’ lawyers who understand how to litigate institutional abuse.

Do Not Let the Statute of Limitations Silence You

The law has historically operated on a presumption of quick action. But when it comes to child sexual abuse, that presumption is deeply flawed. The emotional and psychological wounds inflicted by sexual trauma take years to fully surface. Our firm believes that legal timelines must reflect that reality. That is why we are working to hold the LDS Church accountable and to ensure that no survivor is silenced simply because time has passed.

Our attorneys urge any victim who was sexually abused within the LDS Church to come forward. You may be eligible to file a lawsuit, even if the abuse occurred many years ago. Our attorneys are prepared to challenge statute of limitations defenses and to use every available legal strategy to seek compensation, accountability, and systemic change.

How Much Are LDS Church Sex Abuse Lawsuits Worth?

If you are wondering how much compensation might be available in a sexual abuse lawsuit against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the answer depends heavily on the facts of your case. Still, some general projections can help survivors understand what may be at stake.

For many years, attorneys and advocates have estimated the average settlement value of institutional sexual abuse cases based on outcomes in the Catholic Church lawsuits. That church has paid over three billion dollars in compensation to abuse victims across the United States. Average settlements in those cases have historically ranged between $275,000 and $350,000. But times are changing and so are the settlement amounts victims receive in LDS lawsuits and other sex abuse claims.

 Juries are sending clear messages, and defendants like the LDS Church know it. They are no longer facing scattered claims. They are now facing organized waves of well-documented lawsuits, strong survivor testimony, and experienced plaintiff law firms prepared to go to trial if necessary.

One reason for higher projected payouts is that recent verdicts and settlements suggest a new range. In 2023, a jury in California awarded two point eight billion dollars to a survivor who was abused for years within the LDS Church community. The Church itself settled out before trial for one million dollars. This is not typical, but it shows how high the stakes have become when survivors press their cases with credible allegations and competent legal representation.

Based on these and other cases, we now believe a more realistic range for LDS Church sex abuse settlements is as follows:

• For moderate to severe abuse cases with credible documentation and clear emotional harm, the expected settlement range is five hundred thousand dollars to one million dollars.

• For cases involving long-term abuse, serious psychological damage, or evidence that the Church ignored or concealed misconduct, settlements may exceed one point five million dollars and reach into the two to three million dollar range.

• In the most severe cases, where a survivor can demonstrate catastrophic psychiatric harm, multiple perpetrators, or a systemic failure to intervene, settlement amounts may approach or exceed five million dollars.

These projections reflect current trends in church sex abuse litigation, not just past results. They also account for the fact that the LDS Church is attempting to resolve cases quietly, outside of court supervision. This informal process avoids public trials, judicial oversight, and notice to potential claimants. The Church reviews inventories submitted by law firms and negotiates individual settlements, often with the help of neutral mediators. It is an efficient model for defendants, but only works when plaintiffs are represented by attorneys who understand the value of the claims and are not afraid to walk away from a lowball offer.

We believe many LDS Church settlements remain confidential because the Church insists on secrecy as part of its legal strategy. That makes it harder to get an exact average, but our team is committed to turning over every stone and identifying every possible path to overcome the statute of limitations and recover full compensation.

Survivors should also understand that compensation is not limited to emotional pain and suffering, although that is a major part of these claims. Plaintiffs may also recover money for the following:

• Past and future therapy or psychiatric treatment

• Medication costs related to trauma or mental health

• Lost income or lost earning capacity

• Ongoing life care needs for serious psychological injuries

• Out-of-pocket expenses related to abuse recovery

Some cases also qualify for punitive damages. These are awarded when a defendant’s conduct is especially reckless or harmful. That includes situations where the Church had prior notice of abuse and failed to act, protected a known abuser, or discouraged survivors from reporting the crime. Punitive damages are meant to punish wrongdoers and deter similar misconduct in the future. In some LDS Church lawsuits, they will be a major part of the case valuation.

At their core, these lawsuits are not about money. They are about justice. They are about holding the LDS Church accountable for its failure to protect children and its long-standing practice of shielding itself from liability. No amount of compensation can undo the trauma. But a successful settlement can help survivors afford the care they need and provide a sense of closure and validation that the Church itself often denied them.

Examples of LDS Church Settlements and Verdicts

Here are a few known examples of past settlements and verdicts in LDS sex abuse cases:

• In 2023, a jury in Riverside County, California, awarded two point eight billion dollars in damages to a woman abused by her stepfather, a member of the local Mormon Church. The Church settled its share for one million dollars before trial.

• In January 2023, the LDS Church agreed to pay one point one million dollars to settle a lawsuit involving a Washington man who was sexually abused as a preschooler by a teenage volunteer at his local congregation.

• In 2018, the Church reached a confidential settlement with multiple Native American survivors who were abused while participating in the Indian Student Placement Program, a foster care initiative run by the Church from the 1960s through the early 1980s.

• In 2017, documents leaked by Mormon Leaks suggested the Church had internally tracked more than three hundred cases of abuse committed by leaders between 1959 and 2017. While settlement figures are not publicly listed, this internal database indicates a widespread institutional knowledge of abuse.

Many other cases have been resolved quietly, through confidential agreements. Estimates from investigative groups like Floodlit.org suggest the LDS Church has already paid over fifty million dollars in sex abuse settlements in the United States. That number is almost certainly growing, as new lawsuits are filed and more survivors come forward.

How the LDS Church Has Handled Sexual Abuse Settlements

The process the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is using to address sexual abuse lawsuits is different from what most people think of when they hear about legal action against large institutions. Unlike the high-profile Catholic Church settlements or the coordinated class action lawsuits seen in other mass tort cases, the LDS Church is taking a quieter and more selective path.

Instead of resolving these abuse claims through a global court-approved settlement or a multidistrict litigation process, the Mormon Church has chosen to work directly with certain law firms. These law firms represent survivors of sexual abuse and are being asked to compile what are known as case inventories. A case inventory is a detailed submission that lists the names of claimants, outlines the nature of the abuse, and includes supporting documents such as medical records, statements, and any prior reports to law enforcement or church leadership.

This is not a class action. It is not even a formal mass tort. It is something different. And the difference matters.

An Inventory-Based Process With Private, One-on-One Negotiations

The goal of the inventory process is to allow the LDS Church to review and evaluate each sexual abuse claim on its own terms. Once a law firm submits a batch of cases, the church’s legal team looks through them to determine which ones qualify for potential settlement. They examine the credibility of each LDS sexual abuse claim, the available documentation, and the level of harm. From there, individual settlement discussions take place quietly and out of public view.

These negotiations are often facilitated by third-party neutrals or mediators, but they are not part of a court-approved process. There is no judge overseeing the terms. There is no notice to other victims. And there is no requirement to inform the public or to invite non-participating claimants into the fold.

That is the point. The Mormon Church prefers to keep these settlements private. It avoids the transparency that comes with class actions or mass litigation in open court.

No Judicial Oversight, No Formal Transparency

What this means for survivors is both opportunity and risk. If your attorney is recognized by the church and able to submit a properly documented case inventory, you may receive a settlement offer. But if you do not have legal representation—or if your law firm is not participating in this informal process—you may be left out entirely.

There is no public docket. There is no judicial approval of settlement terms. And there is no appeals process for survivors who disagree with the amount offered or the church’s determination that their claim does not qualify. This process lacks many of the basic procedural protections that a class action or consolidated litigation would typically provide.

From the defendant’s perspective, it is an ideal setup. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints avoids public scrutiny, reduces legal costs, and can resolve claims on a case-by-case basis without opening the floodgates to broader liability.

Why This Approach Benefits the LDS Church—and Why It Matters

To be clear, this is not a court-supervised compensation program like the ones used in other institutional abuse scandals. There is no independent administrator. There are no court filings. This is a private resolution process crafted by the defendant and selectively offered to survivors represented by certain law firms.

In practice, this means that the LDS Church retains control over who gets paid, how much is paid, and how little becomes public knowledge. There is no press release when a case settles. The public never sees the facts, and the church avoids the risk of a jury verdict.

For survivors, the lack of transparency can be deeply frustrating. These are not just civil disputes. They are claims about childhood sexual abuse, cover-ups, and institutional betrayal. And yet, many of these cases are being resolved without ever seeing the light of day.

Our Law Firm’s Approach to LDS Sexual Abuse Cases

At our firm, we are not satisfied with surface-level answers. Our lawyers are committed to turning over every stone to help our clients overcome legal barriers and pursue full compensation. That includes challenging the statute of limitations in states where new laws or revival windows may apply.

If you or a loved one was sexually abused within the LDS Church, you should know that legal options may still be available—even if the abuse occurred years or decades ago. In many states, recent legislation allows adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse to file lawsuits that were previously time-barred. We are currently pursuing cases in multiple jurisdictions and are actively participating in the LDS Church’s informal resolution process when it serves our clients’ best interests.

But we are also prepared to file lawsuits when necessary. Quiet settlements may work in some cases. But they should not be the only path to justice. Institutions like the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints must be held accountable not just behind closed doors but in public view where patterns of harm can be exposed and prevented.

Getting the Right Lawyer to Help You

The lawsuits now facing the Mormon Church are about far more than individual misconduct. They are about an institution’s response to pain. About whether it views survivors as liabilities or human beings. About whether its moral code is authentic or performative.

The LDS Church claims to be guided by eternal truths. If so, then the truth about sexual abuse within its walls must be confronted with courage, not denial. It is time for accountability. Time for transparency. Time for justice.

Survivors deserve nothing less. Contact us today at 888-322-3010 or reach out online to schedule a free, confidential consultation with one of our experienced LDS sexual abuse attorneys. We are here to listen and help you understand your legal options.