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Clergy Abuse Attorney
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Representing Survivors of Clergy and Church Sexual Abuse Across Multiple States
Survivors of clergy sexual abuse may be able to pursue accountability through a civil claim, regardless of whether criminal charges were ever filed. Nessler & Associates represents survivors of abuse by priests, pastors, rabbis, youth ministers, deacons, and other religious leaders across Illinois, Florida, Texas, Missouri, Kentucky, and Colorado. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you pay no attorney fees unless we obtain a recovery for you.
Our firm has represented more than 200 survivors of sexual abuse and recovered millions of dollars in compensation. If you are considering a civil claim, our case results can provide examples of the outcomes we have pursued for other survivors.
Clergy abuse may also be part of a larger institutional failure involving schools, youth programs, or other organizations. Survivors in those situations can learn more through our institutional sexual abuse attorney practice area.
No Fees Unless You Win!
Reach Out For Your Risk Free No-cost Consultation
Fill out the form and someone from the Nessler team will reach out to you shortly. Remember, no fees unless you win!
Reach Out For Your Risk Free,
No-cost Consultation
By submitting this form, you agree to allow us to contact you, as well as our terms of service and Privacy Policy.
What Clergy Sexual Abuse Claims Cover
Clergy abuse can happen within any faith tradition or religious organization. A civil claim may focus not only on the person who committed the abuse, but also on an institution that failed to prevent it or respond appropriately.
Catholic Church and Diocesan Abuse
Sexual abuse within the Catholic Church has involved priests, monks, deacons, youth ministers, and others in positions of trust. Civil liability may extend to a diocese when church leadership knew about abusive conduct, ignored warning signs, transferred an accused clergy member, or concealed allegations.
Large settlements show the extent of these claims.
The Diocese of Camden in New Jersey reached an $87.5 million settlement involving 300 survivors
The Archdiocese of Santa Fe reached a $121.5 million settlement involving 375 claimants
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles reached a $660 million settlement.
Protestant, Baptist, and Other Denominational Abuse
Abuse within Protestant, Baptist, and other Christian churches can involve pastors, youth pastors, church employees, and volunteers. The Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee, for example, maintained an internal list of accused abusers without meaningful action.
Depending on how a church is structured, civil liability may extend beyond the individual congregation to a denominational organization responsible for supervision, reporting, or oversight.
Abuse in Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and Other Religious Institutions
Clergy sexual abuse is not limited to Christian institutions. Abuse involving rabbis, imams, teachers, and other religious leaders may support civil claims under the same general legal principles.
The focus is on the abuse, the resulting harm, and the actions of the institution involved, not the survivor's religion or denomination. Survivors whose abuse began during childhood can also visit our child sexual abuse and assault attorney practice area.
The Scope and Impact of Clergy Sexual Abuse
Research has shown the widespread nature of clergy sexual abuse. A 2004 New York Times analysis found that approximately 4% of Catholic priests had engaged in sexually abusive behavior over a 52-year period. A 2009 study found that 4.4% of clergy had been accused of sexually abusing minors, with abuse continuing for an average of 1.3 years per offender.
For survivors, however, the effects cannot be reduced to statistics. Sexual abuse can lead to lasting psychological harm, damaged relationships, treatment expenses, and disruptions to a person's education, career, and daily life.
The harm may be compounded when a religious institution knew about an offender and failed to act. When church leadership concealed complaints or protected an institution's reputation rather than its members, that conduct may become an important part of a civil claim.
How Civil Claims Pursue Justice for Survivors
A civil sexual abuse claim is separate from a criminal prosecution. Even when prosecutors did not file charges or a criminal case is no longer possible, a survivor may still have a civil path to accountability.
Civil claims seek compensation for the harm caused by the abuse. Depending on the case, damages may include psychological injuries, mental health treatment expenses, lost income or earning capacity, pain and suffering, and other documented losses.
Statutes of limitations vary significantly from state to state. Many states have also extended or eliminated certain filing deadlines for childhood sexual abuse cases. Because these laws have changed over time, survivors should not assume that an older claim is automatically barred without speaking with an attorney.
Civil claims may also be brought against churches, dioceses, congregations, and other institutions. An organization may potentially be liable when it employed or supervised an abuser, ignored warning signs, failed to report allegations, or concealed misconduct.
Some dioceses and religious organizations facing sexual abuse claims have filed for bankruptcy. Bankruptcy does not necessarily prevent a survivor from seeking recovery, but it may create specific procedures and deadlines for filing a claim.
Why Survivors Choose Nessler & Associates
Founded in 1977, Nessler & Associates has decades of experience pursuing civil claims on behalf of people who have suffered serious harm. Our firm has represented more than 200 sexual abuse survivors and recovered millions of dollars in compensation. That experience is especially important when a case involves a church, diocese, denomination, or other well-resourced institution.
We also understand that coming forward may mean discussing experiences a survivor has kept private for many years. Our approach is confidential and focused on helping you understand your options without requiring you to have every detail or document ready before contacting us.
Consultations are free and confidential. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means we do not collect attorney fees unless we obtain a recovery for you.
We can also provide helpful resources for a sexual abuse plaintiff, such as the National Sexual Assault Hotline, to help you get the support you need so you can heal.
Nessler & Associates also holds an AV Rating, the highest peer-review rating available through Martindale-Hubbell. Examples of prior outcomes are available on our verdicts and settlements page.
Frequently Asked Questions About Clergy Abuse Claims
Possibly. Statutes of limitations vary by state, and many states have extended filing periods or created additional opportunities for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. An attorney can review when and where the abuse occurred and determine what deadlines may apply.
Yes. Depending on the circumstances, a church, diocese, congregation, or other organization may face liability if it employed or supervised an offender, ignored warning signs, or concealed abuse.
We work on a contingency fee basis, so we do not collect attorney fees unless we obtain a recovery for you. The initial consultation is free and confidential.
A bankruptcy filing does not necessarily eliminate a survivor's ability to pursue compensation. Claims may instead need to be filed through the bankruptcy process, which can involve specific court procedures and deadlines.
No. Civil claims can involve abuse by pastors, priests, rabbis, imams, ministers, youth leaders, and others in positions of religious authority. The legal focus is on the abuse and the conduct of the people and institutions involved.
Yes. Nessler & Associates pursues clergy and church sexual abuse claims across Illinois, Florida, Texas, Missouri, Kentucky, and Colorado, including statewide representation for sexual abuse claims in Illinois and Florida.
Talk to a Clergy Abuse Attorney About Your Case
If you experienced sexual abuse by a priest, pastor, rabbi, youth minister, or another religious leader, you do not need to determine on your own whether you have a claim. Nessler & Associates can listen to what happened, review the circumstances, and explain the legal options available.
Your consultation is free and confidential, and you do not need to have every document or detail ready before contacting us. We work on a contingency fee basis, so no attorney fees are collected unless we obtain a recovery.
Call Nessler & Associates at (800) 727-8010 or contact us online to schedule a free, confidential consultation.
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