LDS Abuse Statute of Limitations: Deadlines by State

Last updated: October 2026

The LDS abuse statute of limitations depends on the state where the abuse happened, how old you were and who you plan to sue. In Utah, there is no time limit to sue the person who abused a child, but claims against the church or other organizations are much shorter. California and Arizona have their own rules and past revival windows. Because the LDS abuse statute of limitations can turn on small details, it helps to understand how the deadline clock works before you decide on next steps.

This guide explains these deadlines in plain language as of October 2026. Laws change, so a participating law firm should check the rules for your situation.

Why deadlines matter so much

A statute of limitations is a deadline for filing a lawsuit. If a claim is filed too late, a court can dismiss it, even if the abuse is well documented.

Many survivors of childhood abuse do not speak about it until adulthood. Lawmakers in many states have responded by extending deadlines or opening “revival windows” that let older claims be filed for a limited time.

Deadlines can differ for:

• Claims against the person who caused the abuse.
• Claims against an institution, such as a church, school or youth program.
• Survivors abused as children versus as adults.

What is a “discovery rule”?

Some states start the clock not on the date of the abuse, but on the date a survivor discovered, or reasonably should have discovered, that the abuse caused their injuries. For many survivors, that understanding comes years later, sometimes during counseling.

Discovery rules can give survivors more time, but they are applied case by case. A law firm can explain how your state treats them.

Utah deadlines

Utah is home to the church’s headquarters, and many survivors grew up there. According to a CHILD USA summary of Utah law:

• **Against the abuser:** there is no civil time limit for childhood sexual abuse claims.
• **Against others, like an institution:** the general rule is 4 years, often running from age 18 or from when the survivor discovered the abuse and its link to their injuries.

In 2016, Utah passed a law that tried to revive older claims. In 2020, the Utah Supreme Court ruled in Mitchell v. Roberts that the revival could not apply to claims that had already expired under the state constitution.

As a result, Utah survivors with claims against an institution often face tight limits.

California deadlines

California has some of the broadest rules in the country. Many LDS cases have been filed there.

• **AB 218 window (closed):** From 2020 through 2022, survivors could file older childhood abuse claims that had expired. That window has ended.
• **Abuse before 2024:** Survivors generally have until age 40, or 5 years from discovering an injury caused by the abuse, whichever is later. There are exceptions, such as when an organization knew about the risk.
• **Abuse on or after January 1, 2024:** Under AB 452, there is no time limit for childhood sexual assault claims.
• **Adult survivors:** AB 2777 gives adults 10 years from the last assault, or 3 years from discovery. It also revived certain claims for abuse from 2009 to 2019, which can be filed until December 31, 2026.

Arizona deadlines

Arizona is home to several communities with large church memberships. According to a CHILD USA review:

• Survivors of childhood sexual abuse generally have until age 30 to sue.
• A temporary revival window, from May 2019 to the end of December 2020, allowed older claims. That window has closed.

Arizona law also includes a clergy-penitent exemption to its reporting law. The Associated Press reported in 2022 on how that exemption affected at least one case involving church leaders.

Other states

Every state has its own rules. Some states have removed deadlines for childhood abuse claims. Others still have short limits.

If you were abused in one state and now live in another, the rules of the state where the abuse happened may matter. In some cases, more than one state’s law could apply. Federal claims may also have their own deadlines.

Church-related abuse cases have been filed in many states. When the federal panel reviewed them in 2025, it counted cases in nine federal districts, and a well-known earlier case was settled in West Virginia. A law firm can review the current law in any state where abuse took place, including any new revival windows passed by state legislatures.

Claims against an abuser vs. an institution

Many survivors first think about suing the person who harmed them. But claims against an institution work differently, and they often have shorter deadlines.

• **Claims against the abuser** focus on what that person did. Many states now allow these claims for a very long time, or with no limit at all.
• **Claims against an institution** focus on what the organization knew and did. Did leaders receive warnings? Did they report to police? Did they keep the person in a role around children?
• **Proof is different.** Institutional claims may rely on records, policies and testimony from leaders, not just the survivor’s account.
• **Deadlines are often shorter.** In Utah, for example, claims against institutions face a much tighter limit than claims against the abuser.

Knowing which type of claim you have helps a law firm check the right deadline.

How to protect your LDS abuse claim

Even if you think it may be too late, it can be worth asking. Discovery rules, exceptions for institutions and new laws can change the answer.

• **Write down key dates.** Note where you lived, your age and when the abuse happened, as well as you can recall.
• **Note who knew.** List any leaders, teachers or family members you or others told.
• **Save documents.** Letters, emails, journals and church records may help.
• **Do not wait.** Revival windows, like California’s AB 2777 window, can close.
• **Talk to a law firm.** A firm can check which deadlines apply to you.

Step-by-Step: Working Out Your LDS Abuse Statute of Limitations

The state rules above can feel like a maze. It may help to break the question into smaller pieces. A participating law firm will do this work for you, but knowing the steps can make the conversation easier.

Step 1: Pin down where the abuse happened

Start with the state, and if you can, the city or county. If the abuse happened in more than one place, list each one. Families often moved for school, work or church service, so this can take some thought.

In most cases, the LDS abuse statute of limitations that matters most is the one in the state where the abuse took place. Where you live now may matter less, but it is still worth noting.

Step 2: Note your age at the time

Many deadlines are tied to age. Some states count from your 18th birthday. Others allow claims until a certain age, such as 30 or 40, or have no limit at all for claims against the abuser.

If you do not remember exact dates, a range is fine. School grades, church classes or family events can help you place the years.

Step 3: Decide who the claim would be against

As the article explains, claims against the person who caused the abuse and claims against an institution often have different deadlines. Write down both the individual and any group that may have known, such as a congregation, a school or a youth program.

Step 4: Think about when you connected the abuse to your injuries

Some states use a discovery rule. That means the clock may start when you understood, or reasonably should have understood, that the abuse caused harm such as depression, anxiety or relationship problems.

For many survivors, that moment came during counseling or after a life event. Try to note roughly when it happened and who you were talking with at the time.

Step 5: Check for revival windows, past or present

Some states have opened temporary windows that let older claims be filed. Some of these windows have closed, and some may still be open. New ones can also be passed by state legislatures.

Step 6: Ask whether a government entity is involved

If a public school, state program or other government body played a role, there may be an extra early step, such as a written notice of claim. These notices can have very short deadlines that run separately from the LDS abuse statute of limitations itself.

Putting it together: a one-page worksheet

Once you have worked through these steps, it can help to put the answers on a single page. You can bring this page to a case review so the firm can check the LDS abuse statute of limitations more quickly. Try to include:

• Each state, city and congregation where abuse happened, with rough years.
• Your birth date and your age during each period.
• The name and role of the person who harmed you.
• Any leaders, teachers or family members who were told, and when.
• The approximate date you first linked the abuse to your struggles.
• Any past reports to police, child protective services or church leaders.

Leave blanks where you are not sure. A rough worksheet is far more useful than no worksheet. It also means you do not have to repeat painful details over and over.

Why the order of steps matters

Each answer can change the next one. For example, a different state may mean a different age limit, and a claim against an institution may need a separate deadline check. This is why a firm will often ask the same questions in a few different ways.

A Plain-Language Glossary of Deadline Terms

Legal words can make a hard topic feel even harder. Here are some terms you may hear when a law firm reviews the LDS abuse statute of limitations that applies to you.

Statute of limitations

This is the time limit for filing a lawsuit. When people talk about the LDS abuse statute of limitations, this is usually the deadline they mean. According to Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute, the clock can start on the date of the injury, the date it was discovered, or the date it would have been discovered with reasonable effort.

Accrual

Accrual is the moment a claim legally “starts.” The deadline is usually counted from that date. For childhood abuse, accrual may be delayed until a survivor turns 18 or discovers the harm.

Tolling

Tolling means pausing the clock. In some states, the clock may be paused while a survivor is a minor, or in other limited situations set by state law.

Discovery rule

A rule that starts the clock when a survivor knew, or should have known, about the injury and its cause. Courts apply it case by case.

Revival window

A set period, created by a new law, that lets people file claims that had already expired. Once the window closes, those older claims are usually barred again unless another law applies.

Statute of repose

A statute of repose is a different kind of time limit. It can cut off claims after a fixed period tied to the defendant’s actions, even if the injury was not yet known. Not every state uses one for abuse claims.

Notice of claim

A written notice that some states require before suing a government body. It often has its own short deadline.

Common Mistakes That Can Cost Survivors Time

Many survivors lose options not because their claim is weak, but because of simple timing problems. Knowing these common mistakes may help you protect your rights under the LDS abuse statute of limitations.

• **Assuming it is too late.** Discovery rules, exceptions and new laws can change the answer. It is worth asking even if many years have passed.
• **Waiting for the “right” moment.** There may never be a perfect time. A confidential review does not commit you to filing.
• **Relying on church leaders for legal answers.** A bishop or stake president is not a lawyer and cannot tell you your filing deadline.
• **Looking only at your current state.** The state where the abuse happened often controls, and more than one state’s law may apply.
• **Thinking only about the abuser.** Claims against an institution can have a shorter deadline, so they may need attention first.
• **Missing a revival window.** Windows like California’s AB 2777 window for adult survivors have a firm end date.
• **Overlooking a notice requirement.** A short government notice deadline can arrive long before the main deadline.

Why timing is often the first fight

In many abuse cases, the first thing a defendant argues is that a claim was filed too late. That is why the LDS abuse statute of limitations is often the first issue a court decides, before anyone looks closely at what happened.

A firm that has your dates, places and ages early can respond to those arguments with facts. It can also spot when an exception may apply, such as a discovery rule or an institution’s own knowledge of the risk.

What to do if you think you missed a deadline

Do not give up on your own. Ask a participating law firm to look at the full picture. There may be another claim, another defendant or another state’s law that still applies, even when one LDS abuse statute of limitations has already passed. In some cases there may not be, but you deserve a clear answer either way.

Questions to Ask About the LDS Abuse Statute of Limitations in Your Case

When you speak with a law firm, short and direct questions can help you understand where you stand. Consider asking:

• Which state’s LDS abuse statute of limitations applies to my claim, and why?
• When did my clock start, and when does it end?
• Is the deadline different for a claim against the church than for a claim against the person who harmed me?
• Does a discovery rule or tolling rule help my situation?
• Is there a revival window that could apply now or soon?
• Are there any notice deadlines I need to meet first?
• What do you need from me to confirm the dates?

Keep notes after each conversation

Write down the date of each call, the person you spoke with and any deadlines they mention. If anything is unclear, ask the firm to confirm key dates in writing.

Laws change, and the LDS abuse statute of limitations in your state today may not be the same next year. Checking early is one of the simplest ways to keep your options open while you focus on healing.

LDS abuse statute of limitations: frequently asked questions

How Direct2Attorney can help

Coming forward about abuse in a faith community can be very hard, especially if you were told to keep it private. Direct2Attorney can connect you with a participating law firm that may review your situation confidentially and explain the deadlines that may apply to you.

Learn more on our LDS Church abuse lawsuit page. You decide if and when to take the next step.

Direct2Attorney is a legal marketing and referral service, not a law firm. This article is general information, not legal advice. Submitting information does not create an attorney-client relationship.