The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Sexual Abuse Lawsuits, which accuse the church of not reporting sexual abuse to authorities in "a pervasive and intentional scheme to cover up and conceal the rampant sexual abuse within the [Mormon church], has filed a motion to pause a hearing over whether all similar cases should consolidate. Attorneys for the Mormon church claim that most of the lawsuits that were part of the upcoming JPML hearing might be solved during the previously mentioned mediation. This is a strong sign that they are close to settling.
The attorneys for the LDS requested the delay in the court known as the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML), which is the government body that decides whether a group of cases with similar complaints should be consolidated into a single case, known as multi-district litigation or MDL.
The litigation, officially titled "In re Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Sexual Abuse Litigation, No. 24-2990," involves serious allegations that church leadership methodically worked to conceal sexual abuse reports involving children and minor congregants.
Mediation Could Resolve Majority of LDS Sexual Abuse Cases
According to the recent motion filed by the LDS church on March 7, 2025, the scheduled mediation set for April 10, 2025, could potentially resolve 39 out of the 48 sexual abuse lawsuits pending against them.
The plaintiffs in the case have said they do not oppose the request to delay the hearing originally scheduled for March 27, 2025, before the JPML. Instead, the Mormon Church wants to move the hearing to after the mediation just in case the consolidation isn't needed.
If mediation doesn't solve all the cases, the next JPML hearing will occur on May 29, 2025.
Allegations of Systematic Cover-Up by the Mormon Church
At the heart of these lawsuits are claims that leaders within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints ignored or purposely hid credible sexual abuse allegations in order to prevent scandal, damage their reputation, or affect membership. And what do all of these things affect? You guessed it—money.
Victims claim the Church went as far as implementing internal policies that discouraged reporting to authorities.
One of the policies was a special "Help Line" set up for leaders—not so they could help the victim as quickly as possible—but so the leaders of the church could know about the situation as soon as possible so that their cover-up efforts were more effective.
Another damaging piece of evidence in these sexual abuse cases is reports that the LDS purposely destroyed any written accounts of the abuse. The Church has also consistently refused to disclose these internal records in court, further complicating victims' efforts to get justice.
The LDS leaders and central organization's negligence in reporting these sexual abuse allegations guaranteed that the abuse would continue and that future abuses would occur.
Centralization Sought by Mormon Sex Abuse Plaintiffs
Plaintiffs represented by various law firms and from multiple states say the cases should be centralized in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, where a large portion of the cases are from.
Their argument is based on the idea that these lawsuits all have similar facts, including the Church allegedly concealing abuse, perpetuating victimization, and intentionally protecting abusers, enabling further harm.
Centralizing these cases would streamline the judicial process, provide consistency in rulings, and make everything more efficient. If the cases are centralized in an MDL, it will allow things like initial rulings, discovery, and negotiations to be done only once rather than dozens of times for each individual case. However, cases in an MDL do not have to accept any global offers and can choose to continue their case separately if they want.
Church-Related Sexual Abuse Scandals Are Rampant
Our attorneys have extensive experience handling cases involving sexual abuse within religious institutions. It's quite unfortunate, really. But when you consolidate power into a formal structure, including an all-knowing being and centuries of heavy guilt and emphatic trust, it's a recipe for those at the top to abuse their power in whatever way suits their fancy.
Some of the cases our lawyers have personally handled include:
- Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Scandal: Involving thousands of cases worldwide where priests and church officials abused minors.
- Southern Baptist Convention Abuse Cases: Allegations of abuse and cover-ups across various congregations.
- Jehovah’s Witnesses Abuse Cases: Claims of systematic concealment and failure to report child sexual abuse.
- Orthodox Jewish Community Abuse Cases: Allegations of covering up abuses within tightly-knit religious communities.
- Reformatory School Sexual Abuse: Advocacy and representation for survivors abused within juvenile reform and boarding schools, where systemic abuses have been all too common.
- Juvenile Detention Centers: Legal representation for survivors of abuse within juvenile detention centers, holding institutions accountable for failures to protect children in their care.
And many more, including schools, healthcare providers, human trafficking, and almost any type of abuse case you can think of. That's why we say we have the experience you need—because we truly have handled thousands of cases, all with different nuances and hurdles.
Find Out if You Have a Claim Against the LDS Church for Sexual Abuse
If you or a loved one has suffered sexual abuse associated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints or any other religious institution, our dedicated legal team at FileAbuseLawsuit.com are the best possible lawyers to help you with your case. We have decades of experience handling thousands of sexual abuse cases, our attorneys are compassionate and care about your feelings and privacy, and we have gone up against some of the most powerful organizations in the world and won.
Let us help you.
Contact us today for a confidential consultation to discuss your potential claim against the LDS church. You deserve justice, and we will help you get it.