Table of contents
- Latest Mormon Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Updates
- July 30, 2026: Arizona Supreme Court Rules for the Church
- July 28, 2026: 10th Circuit Revives Church Insurance Suit
- July 29, 2025: Arizona Appeals Court Revives the Adams Suit
- May 8, 2025: Church Agrees to Settle More than 100 California Suits
- December 4, 2023: AP Publishes Church Helpline Recordings
- April 25, 2023: Riverside Jury Awards Damages in Abuse Suit
- What Is the Mormon Church?
- Who May Be Affected?
- Reported Injuries or Damages
- Evidence to Preserve
- Filing Deadlines
- Potential Compensation
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Can You Sue a Church for Religious Abuse?
- How Much Compensation Can Abuse Survivors Receive?
- What Does the Church Say About the Abuse Lawsuits?
- Has the LDS Church Settled the California Abuse Lawsuits?
Survivors of childhood sexual abuse have sued the LDS Church, also called the Mormon church. The suits allege that leaders abused children or failed to stop abuse, and did not report it.
The church agreed in principle in 2025 to settle over 100 suits in California. The terms were not disclosed. These are individual cases, and no MDL has been formed.
Arizona’s highest court ruled for the church in July 2026 in a clergy-reporting case. The Adams suit there was filed in 2020. The church denies a cover-up.
Latest Mormon Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Updates
July 30, 2026: Arizona Supreme Court Rules for the Church
On July 30, 2026, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled unanimously for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Church leaders need not report abuse disclosed in confession, the Salt Lake Tribune reported [1].
The ruling reverses a July 2025 appeals decision. It returns the civil suit by three of Paul Adams’ children to the lower courts. It deals with the reporting law. It does not decide whether the abuse occurred.
July 28, 2026: 10th Circuit Revives Church Insurance Suit
On July 28, 2026, a 10th Circuit panel reversed a Salt Lake City judge. The case is the church’s coverage fight with National Union and ACE insurers, Courthouse News reported [2].
The panel held that the policies are ambiguous about what counts as an occurrence. So the church can seek coverage for West Virginia abuse settlements. The case returned to the trial court.
July 29, 2025: Arizona Appeals Court Revives the Adams Suit
On July 29, 2025, the Arizona Court of Appeals unanimously reversed a Cochise County summary judgment that had favored the church, azcentral reported [3]. It ruled the earlier decision was erroneous.
The decision let the civil suit by three of Paul Adams’ children go forward. They sued in 2020. A church spokesperson said the church intended to appeal to the Arizona Supreme Court.
May 8, 2025: Church Agrees to Settle More than 100 California Suits
On May 8, 2025, court filings showed the church agreed in principle to settle more than 100 California childhood sexual abuse suits. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported it [4].
The parties reached the agreement at a private mediation on April 10, 2025. The terms were not disclosed and may never be released publicly. Some suits dealt with incidents dating back several decades.
December 4, 2023: AP Publishes Church Helpline Recordings
On December 4, 2023, PBS NewsHour carried Associated Press recordings of 2017 meetings. In them, the head of the church’s Risk Management Division heard a daughter’s report about her father, a former bishop [5].
The recordings show how the church’s risk management lawyer handled the report, according to the AP. The church declined to clarify whether it keeps records on the Helpline.
April 25, 2023: Riverside Jury Awards Damages in Abuse Suit
On April 25, 2023, a Riverside County Superior Court jury awarded $2.28 billion to a woman identified as Jane Doe. It was a negligence and sexual abuse suit.
The Riverside jury’s $2.28 billion verdict came in a suit that also named her mother and the local LDS ward. The award figure comes from her attorneys’ announcement, which the Associated Press reported [6].
What Is the Mormon Church?
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also called the Mormon church, was organized in April 1830 in northwestern New York, according to its newsroom [7]. Its members later settled in what became Utah.
The lawsuits on this page name this church, and the Riverside suit also named a local ward, which is a congregation of the church.
Who May Be Affected?
Children who were abused by a church leader, such as a bishop, or by someone in a congregation may be affected. This is most relevant when they told church leaders and saw no report made to police.
The cases show several circumstances. Five San Diego-area plaintiffs alleged abuse, three of it by bishops. In Arizona, a father confessed abuse to bishops.
The California suits are separate state-court cases, and two date back to 1961. Only an individual legal review of your facts can show whether a claim exists for you.
Reported Injuries or Damages
The California suits each alleged sexual abuse of a minor, negligence and related claims. These are allegations, not court findings. In the Riverside suit, the complaint said “These ongoing acts of abuse brought Plaintiff to the brink of suicide.”
An Associated Press investigation reported that the church help line sits in its risk management department. Citing sealed West Virginia records, it reported that call records are destroyed at the end of each day [8].
The church said the story had “significant flaws in its facts and timeline.” It said the help line “has nothing to do with cover-up.”
In Arizona, the Adams children said the church shared blame for years of continued sexual abuse and exploitation. The church said, “The abuse at the center of this case was reprehensible, and the church has always condemned it.”
Evidence to Preserve
Keep any records that show what happened and who knew about it. Useful items include:
- Medical and counseling records about the abuse and its effects
- Written or recorded messages with church leaders about the abuse
- Dates, ward (congregation) names and the leaders involved
- Police reports and court records, if any exist
- Journals, photographs and messages from the time
- Names and contact details of any witnesses
Store originals safely and make copies. Write down what you remember while it is fresh. Do not delete messages or throw away old papers.
Filing Deadlines
Filing deadlines for abuse claims come from state law. They vary with where you live and when the abuse and its discovery happened.
Missing a deadline can end a claim even when the facts are strong, so a lawyer can tell you which deadline fits your situation and how much time remains.
Potential Compensation
Categories of compensation that may be claimed include medical and counseling costs, lost earnings, and pain and suffering. The 2023 Riverside verdict is a public example, but it does not predict another case.
Compensation amounts vary by case. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Potential compensation cannot be known before a lawyer reviews your records.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Sue a Church for Religious Abuse?
Yes, you can sue a church for religious abuse, and survivors have sued the LDS Church in California alleging sexual abuse of a minor and negligence. A reporting-failure theory faces limits in Arizona after the state Supreme Court’s ruling.
How Much Compensation Can Abuse Survivors Receive?
How much compensation abuse survivors can receive differs in every case. An attorney not involved in the California cases named the nature, duration and severity of the impact as factors. No amount is promised.
What Does the Church Say About the Abuse Lawsuits?
In response to the abuse lawsuits, the church says “the abuse of a child or any other individual is inexcusable.” It says it takes the claims seriously. It also said early review found multiple discrepancies in many claims.
Has the LDS Church Settled the California Abuse Lawsuits?
The LDS Church has agreed in principle to settle the California abuse lawsuits. A tolling agreement ran until August 2024, and proceedings in most of the cases were stayed while the parties worked toward a deal.