By Editorial Staff | Updated June 2026 | No Fee Unless You Win

If you are a survivor and need support: RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-656-4673 or at rainn.org. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Survivors of sexual abuse by LDS Church elders, bishops, leaders, or other church employees and volunteers may have legal options. Lawsuits allege that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints failed to report, stop, or adequately respond to abuse within its ranks. Attorneys are reviewing claims from survivors nationwide.

Case at a Glance

• What’s Alleged: LDS Church leaders and employees sexually abused minors, and the church allegedly concealed, enabled, or failed to stop the abuse and protected abusers over victims
• Who May Qualify: Survivors who were sexually abused by an LDS elder, bishop, leader, or church employee before the age of 18, and who were born on or after January 1, 1966
• Abuser Must Be: An elder, leader, volunteer, or employee of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and not a family member
• Current Status: Active litigation nationwide; California settlement movement underway in 2025; federal MDL consolidation declined
• Key Limits: Deceased injured parties do not qualify; abusers who are family members do not qualify
• Cost to You: $0 upfront. Contingency fee only.

What Is the LDS Church Sexual Abuse Lawsuit About?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, has faced a growing wave of civil lawsuits filed by survivors who say they were sexually abused by bishops, elders, branch presidents, missionaries, and other church figures while they were children. These cases are being filed across the country and involve abuse that in many cases happened years or decades ago.

What makes these cases more than individual misconduct claims is the institutional allegation at the center of them. Plaintiffs allege that church leaders and officials were aware of abuse, used the church’s authority structure to silence victims, and in some cases protected abusers from consequences rather than reporting them to law enforcement. Some complaints describe a system in which abuse disclosures were made to bishops or other leaders, kept confidential as matters of spiritual counseling, and never reported to outside authorities.

The litigation has generated significant legal activity. In 2025, reporting indicated the LDS Church had agreed in principle to resolve more than 100 sexual abuse lawsuits in California, with further reporting suggesting the church was moving toward a broader global settlement strategy. A separate effort to consolidate the cases into one federal MDL was declined by the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, meaning cases continue to proceed individually rather than under one national umbrella. That has kept local cases moving forward and maintaining pressure on the church.

These are individual claims, not a single class action. Each survivor’s situation, location, abuser, and harm is evaluated on its own facts. Litigation status may change as cases develop.

Settlement Activity So Far

One earlier resolution in a Tacoma, Washington case resulted in a $1.1 million settlement. In 2025, the LDS Church appeared to be moving toward a broader confidential resolution of more than 100 California cases. New cases continue to be filed nationwide, including a 2026 New Jersey claim involving a church branch president. The litigation is active and ongoing.

Who May Qualify?

These claims have specific requirements. All of the following must apply for a claim to be reviewed under current guidelines. Eligibility criteria may change as the litigation develops.

General Eligibility Requirements

• Must not currently be represented by another attorney for this specific claim
• Was sexually abused by an elder, bishop, leader, volunteer, or employee of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Was under the age of 18 when the abuse first occurred
• Must have been born on or after January 1, 1966 (this rule was added April 3, 2026)
• Can identify the abuser by name, or can identify that the abuser was an LDS member along with the location and approximate years the abuse occurred
• Can identify at least the state where the abuse occurred and the approximate time frame
• The abuser is not a family member of the survivor (see details below)
• The injured party is not deceased
• Has not been convicted of murder, rape, a sexual crime against a child, or physical abuse of a child

Birth Year Requirement Updated April 2026: As of April 3, 2026, survivors must have been born on or after January 1, 1966 to qualify under current intake guidelines. This rule was recently added and is subject to change. If you were born before this date, a case review can still help assess whether your situation may have options as the criteria evolve.

The Family Member Exclusion

The abuser must not be a family member of the survivor. This applies to both biological and non-biological family relationships. If the abuser was a family member, the claim does not qualify under current guidelines, regardless of whether the abuser also held a role in the LDS Church. This criteria is subject to change.

Biological Family Members (Do Not Qualify)

• Biological father or mother
• Biological grandfather or grandmother
• Biological brother or sister
• Biological uncle or aunt
• Biological first cousin

Non-Biological Family Members (Do Not Qualify)

• Stepfather, stepmother, stepgrandparent, stepsibling, stepuncle, stepaunt, stepcousin
• Adoptive or foster father, mother, grandparent, sibling, uncle, aunt, or first cousin
• Non-biological aunt or uncle

Important Note on Non-Biological Family Members: If the abuser was a non-biological family member, such as a stepfather, foster parent, or adoptive relative, the claim does not qualify if the abuse began after that person became a member of the survivor’s family. If the abuse began before that family relationship was established, a case review can help assess whether the specific timeline may affect eligibility.

Identifying the Abuser and Location

You must be able to identify the abuser in at least one of the following ways, and must be able to provide at least the state where the abuse occurred and the approximate years it took place.

Identifying the Abuser

• The abuser’s name
• Confirmation that the abuser was an LDS member, plus the location where the abuse occurred and the approximate years it took place

You Do Not Need to Remember Everything

You do not need exact dates. Providing the years during which the abuse occurred is sufficient, though being more specific is helpful. You also do not need the abuser’s full name if you can confirm they were connected to the LDS Church and provide the location and time period. An attorney can help you work through what you remember and assess whether it may be enough to support a claim.

Why These Cases Have Legal Weight

The LDS Church operates through a lay leadership structure in which bishops, branch presidents, and other leaders serve in positions of significant trust and authority within their communities. Many survivors were children who were brought into private counseling settings or church activities where they were alone with adults in positions of religious authority.

Plaintiffs allege that the church’s handling of abuse disclosures created a system that protected abusers rather than victims. Complaints describe disclosures made to bishops that were treated as matters of spiritual confession rather than reported crimes. Survivors allege they were discouraged from going to law enforcement, told the matter would be handled internally, or simply not believed. That institutional conduct is what gives these cases legal weight beyond the individual acts of abuse.

What the Lawsuits Allege

• Sexual Abuse by Church Leaders: Plaintiffs allege that bishops, elders, branch presidents, missionaries, and other church figures used their positions of religious authority and trust to sexually abuse children in their care.
• Failure to Report: Lawsuits claim the church failed to report known or suspected abuse to law enforcement, instead treating disclosures as confidential spiritual matters and keeping abusers in positions of access to children.
• Negligent Supervision: Some complaints allege that the church failed to adequately supervise leaders and volunteers, allowing known or suspected abusers to continue serving in roles that gave them access to minors.
• Institutional Concealment: Plaintiffs allege that the church’s authority structure was used to silence survivors, discourage outside reporting, and protect the institution’s reputation over the safety and wellbeing of victims.
• Long-Term Harm: Lawsuits seek compensation for the lasting psychological, emotional, and personal harm suffered by survivors, including trauma that has persisted for years or decades after the abuse occurred.

Subject to Change: The legal theories being pursued, any settlement developments, eligibility criteria, and the status of litigation may all change as cases develop. Revival window laws that affect filing deadlines in certain states may also evolve. This page will be updated regularly. A legal review is the best way to get current information specific to your situation.

Who May Have a Claim

A claim may be available for survivors who were sexually abused by an LDS Church elder, bishop, leader, volunteer, or employee before the age of 18, were born on or after January 1, 1966, and whose abuser was not a family member. The survivor must be able to identify the abuser or provide the church location and approximate time period of the abuse, and must know at least the state where the abuse occurred.

The survivor must not currently be represented by another attorney for this claim, must not be deceased, and must not have been convicted of murder, rape, a sexual crime against a child, or physical abuse of a child.

You do not need everything organized before reaching out. A case review is free, confidential, and can help identify what information may be needed to move forward.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I file a lawsuit if I was sexually abused by an LDS bishop, elder, or church leader as a child?

You may qualify if you were sexually abused by an LDS elder, bishop, branch president, missionary, or other church leader or employee before the age of 18, were born on or after January 1, 1966, and the abuser was not a family member. You must be able to identify the abuser or provide the church location and approximate years of the abuse. A case review can help assess whether your specific situation may qualify under current guidelines.

Does the abuser need to have been an official church leader, or can it be any LDS member?

The abuser must have been an elder, bishop, leader, volunteer, or employee of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Plaintiffs allege that abusers used their church role and the authority that came with it to gain access to and abuse children. The connection to a church role is an important part of establishing institutional responsibility. A case review can help assess whether the specific role of the person who abused you may qualify.

Does the LDS Church abuse lawsuit qualify if my abuser was also a family member?

No. If the abuser was a biological family member, stepfamily member, or adoptive or foster family member, the claim does not qualify under current guidelines, regardless of whether that person also held a church role. The one exception is if the abuse began before that family relationship was established. For example, if a person became a stepfather after the abuse had already begun, a case review can help assess whether the timeline may affect eligibility.

What if I do not remember the name of the LDS leader who abused me?

You do not need the abuser’s full name to qualify. If you can confirm the abuser was an LDS Church member and provide the location where the abuse occurred and the approximate years it took place, that may be sufficient to begin a case review. You do not need exact dates. Providing the years is enough, though being more specific is helpful. An attorney can help you work through what you remember.

Is there an age or birth year limit for filing an LDS Church sexual abuse lawsuit?

Yes. As of April 3, 2026, survivors must have been born on or after January 1, 1966 to qualify under current intake guidelines. This rule was recently added and is subject to change. If you were born before this date, reaching out for a case review is still worthwhile as criteria may evolve. The abuse must also have first occurred before you turned 18.

How much does it cost to find out if I qualify for an LDS Church sexual abuse lawsuit?

Nothing. The case evaluation is free and confidential. If a case is accepted, attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no upfront costs and no legal fees unless the case results in a settlement or verdict in your favor. No outcome or recovery can be guaranteed.

Think You May Have a Case?

Our team works with survivors of sexual abuse within the LDS Church. A case review is free, completely confidential, and comes with no obligation. You will be treated with care and respect throughout the process.

• A private, confidential conversation about what happened and whether it may qualify
• No documents needed before we talk
• No fees unless your case results in a recovery

See if Your Situation Qualifies →

Eligibility criteria may change. The sooner you reach out, the more options you may have.