Coming forward after abuse can feel overwhelming, especially when your faith, family, and community connections all seem tied together. Yet many survivors of abuse by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) have done just that—bringing to light allegations of abuse and cover-ups by Church figures over several decades.
Among the latest developments, in May 2025, the LDS Church agreed in principle to settle more than 100 child sexual abuse lawsuits in California,[1] marking the largest publicly known coordinated resolution involving the Church to date. There have also been LDS sexual abuse lawsuits in West Virginia and Arizona, among others.[2]
If you’re thinking about filing an LDS Church lawsuit, acting quickly may help protect your legal rights. You may also want to consider applying for pre-settlement funding for church abuse if you’re actively pursuing a claim, which can help you pay for therapy, bills, and other necessities as your case progresses through the courts.
Key Takeaways
- LDS Church lawsuits have been filed in multiple states, including allegations that Church officials failed to report abuse and concealed misconduct.[2]
- Survivors do not need to be part of an LDS Church class action lawsuit to file a claim. Most cases are moving forward as individual lawsuits or coordinated state court proceedings.[3]
- Many states have expanded the time survivors have to file childhood sexual abuse lawsuits, including California through AB 218.[4]
- These lawsuits can take months or years to resolve, while therapy costs, medical bills, lost wages, and daily expenses continue.
- Pre-settlement funding, also known as lawsuit loans, can help survivors stay financially stable during litigation.
Abuse Allegations Against the LDS Church
Across the country, survivors have filed lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by bishops, missionaries, youth leaders, and others connected to the LDS Church. Many lawsuits describe abuse that allegedly took place during private worthiness interviews, youth activities, and in private homes. Survivors have also alleged patterns of grooming, manipulation, and warnings that speaking out could harm their spiritual standing or family relationships.[3]
Many LDS Church abuse lawsuits also focus on how abuse reports were handled internally. Some lawsuits allege the Church’s internal abuse help line directed reports toward Church legal teams instead of law enforcement.[2] The allegations span more than 1,000 locations in multiple states, including Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington, and West Virginia.[5]
The Adams Case (Arizona)
An Arizona case involving Paul Adams became one of the most widely discussed LDS abuse cases in the country after a 2022 Associated Press investigation. Adams, a U.S. Border Patrol agent and LDS member, reportedly confessed to his bishop that he had sexually abused his young daughter.[2]
The bishop then contacted the Church’s abuse help line and was advised not to report the abuse to police. Prosecutors later stated that Adams continued abusing his daughters for another seven years before law enforcement arrested him on child pornography charges. The Associated Press reported that one victim told them, “They just let it keep happening.”[2]
Adams committed suicide in December 2017. His wife was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to knowing about the abuse and failing to stop it.[6] In July 2025, the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled that an LDS sexual abuse lawsuit filed by Adams’ daughters could move forward, finding that a jury should decide if church leaders knew of the abuse.[7]
The Michael Jensen Case (West Virginia)
Another major LDS Church lawsuit involved Michael Jensen in West Virginia. Jensen was convicted of sexually abusing multiple children and received a prison sentence of 35 to 75 years.[8]
Survivors later filed lawsuits alleging that Church leaders knew about Jensen’s behavior but still allowed him to remain involved in youth activities. In March 2025, previously sealed court documents revealed that the Church had agreed to pay $32 million to settle claims connected to the Jensen case.[8]
After the settlement, the Church sued its insurance providers when they refused to cover the cost. Courts later ruled against the Church in portions of the insurance dispute after finding problems with the coverage arguments and policy limitations connected to the timing and nature of the claims.[9]
The Jensen case became one of the clearest examples of how abuse allegations against LDS leaders and members could lead not only to criminal convictions, but also to major civil lawsuits alleging institutional failures to protect children. For its part, the LDS Church has denied the allegations that it covered up abuse and says it takes steps to protect abuse victims, including requiring training for all adults who interact with children in the church.[10]
The California Wave of Lawsuits
Roughly 100 LDS Church lawsuits were filed in California under AB 218, which temporarily removed the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse cases.[1] The lawsuits were filed across California, including San Diego, Los Angeles, San Jose, Riverside, and Eureka. They involved allegations against bishops, elders, missionaries, high priests, counselors, and other Church-connected figures.[11]
Survivors alleged sexual abuse and negligence, as well as hindering the police, negligent hiring, failure to warn, and breach of duty against the Church. The claims include allegations of abuse of children as young as 5 years old and include locations such as bishops’ offices and temples.[11] One survivor said the church “handled the repeated allegations internally as a ‘matter of sin’ and not one leader reported any matter to police.”[1]
In May 2025, the Church announced that it had agreed in principle to settle the coordinated group of lawsuits.[1] An agreement in principle means the parties have reached a broad settlement framework and agreed to resolve the cases, even though final paperwork and individual settlement terms may still need to be completed.
Is There an LDS Church Class Action Lawsuit?
Many survivors hear about the growing number of LDS Church abuse lawsuits and wonder whether there is a class action lawsuit underway. But right now, there is no certified class action lawsuit against the LDS Church.
A class action lawsuit allows one or several plaintiffs to represent a larger group of people with nearly identical legal claims, with the outcome generally applying to everyone in the group.[3]
LDS Church lawsuits have developed differently because the allegations involve different defendants, churches, states, and time periods.
Instead of pursuing a class action, survivors’ attorneys asked a federal panel in early 2025 to combine roughly 48 cases into a Multidistrict Litigation, or MDL, in the Central District of California. Unlike a class action, an MDL coordinates parts of the legal process, such as evidence gathering and pretrial proceedings, while each survivor keeps an individual case and outcome.[3]
In April 2025, the panel denied the request after finding the cases were too different from one another, with different alleged abusers and locations.[3] However, these cases can still move forward individually, and survivors retain all of the same legal rights.
In California, many lawsuits are also proceeding through a Judicial Council Coordination Proceeding, or JCCP,[12] which helps coordinate scheduling, discovery, and mediation while still keeping each lawsuit separate.
For survivors, this means you do not need to wait for an LDS Church class action lawsuit to file your own case. You should speak with an attorney to determine the right path forward for your specific situation.
Who Can File a Lawsuit Against the LDS Church?
You may be able to file an LDS Church lawsuit if you experienced sexual abuse:
- Involving a Church-connected individual.
- During Church-related activities
- In a Church setting
Survivors argue that the abuser used a trusted Church role or Church authority to gain access to victims. Some lawsuits also allege that Church leaders failed to report abuse allegations or concealed misconduct after learning about it.
The deadline for filing a lawsuit depends on the state where the abuse happened. In California, AB 218 expanded the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse claims to age 40 or within five years of discovering that the abuse caused psychological harm.[4] California law also removed the civil filing deadline entirely for certain childhood sexual abuse claims arising on or after January 1, 2024.[13]
Other states have also expanded filing windows for survivors of childhood sexual abuse following a nationwide wave of legal reforms. Because these laws continue to change, you shouldn’t assume your case is too old to pursue. Some recent LDS lawsuits involved abuse allegations dating back decades, including the West Virginia Jensen case.[8]
If you’re unsure whether you qualify to file, speaking with an attorney can help you understand the laws in your state and whether you still have time bring a claim.
How Filing an LDS Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Could Help You
For many survivors, filing an LDS Church abuse lawsuit is about more than just the money. A lawsuit may help you pursue justice and regain a sense of control. Depending on your case, compensation may help:
- Cover financial costs and losses related to the abuse, like:
- Therapy costs
- Medical treatment
- Prescription expenses
- Lost income
- Reduced earning ability
- Address the pain and suffering you endured, like:
- Emotional distress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- PTSD
- Other long-term psychological impacts of the abuse
While no amount of money can erase what happened, legal action provides you with resources to support your recovery.
Pre-Settlement Funding: Relief While You Pursue Justice
LDS sexual abuse lawsuits are often emotionally difficult and legally complex. Many cases involve events that happened years or even decades ago, which can lead to long investigations, document reviews, and settlement negotiations. While the legal process moves forward, your financial responsibilities continue.
Pre-settlement funding can help relieve some of that pressure. This type of funding is a nonrecourse cash advance based on your expected settlement. That means you only repay the funds if you recover compensation in your case. With financial breathing room, you’re able to continue pursuing fair compensation instead of settling simply because bills are piling up.
How USClaims Supports LDS Abuse Survivors
USClaims has extensive experience providing pre-settlement funding for sexual abuse lawsuits. We understand that these cases often involve painful experiences, sensitive evidence, and long legal timelines. Because of that, we work to keep the funding process as fair and straightforward as possible.
Approval depends on the strength of your case rather than your credit score, and there are no upfront costs. As long as you’re working with an attorney to actively pursue a claim, you can apply. Approved applicants can often receive funds within 24 business day hours.*
Many LDS abuse survivors spend years struggling with whether to come forward. Some worry about how speaking publicly could affect family relationships or standing within their community. Financial pressure shouldn’t be an additional load you have to carry.
USClaims is here to help you stay financially stable while your LDS Church lawsuit moves forward. Apply now or call us today at 1-877-USCLAIMS to learn more.
