Mormon (Latter Day Saints) Sexual Abuse Lawyer

Kelly began fighting for those abused in the context of the Mormon Church in 2005, and is now representing nearly a dozen men who were abused by elders, missionaries, home teachers, and others in positions of LDS callings.  In 2007, Kelly, along with OC & C associate Kristian Roggendorf and affiliated counsel Gilion Dumas, won major pretrial victories against the LDS Church on disputed legal questions such as the statute of limitations, punitive damages and– most significantly– won a ruling from the trial court, backed up by the Oregon Supreme Court, that the LDS Church release its financial records.  Perhaps not surprisingly, the case settled immediately after that decision, a settlement that included both monetary restitution and agreements on changes to the Church’s child abuse policies. For news coverage of this significant case, click here.

Also beginning in 2007, Kelly Clark brought a case on behalf of six men against the LDS Church, with claims of harboring a serial child abuser in Portland, several times criminally convicted and yet still allowed around children.  The issue in that case is the extent of knowledge that the LDS authorities had about its child abuse problem in Portland and nationally.  Stay tuned or click here for developments.

Kelly’s Thoughts:

Individual congregations are known as wards throughout the world.  Bishops lead local congregations and various levels of priests serve in a variety of “callings” in the local wards.  Regional organization happens through “Stakes” which usually consist of several wards geographically contiguous.  The head of a Stake is a Stake President.  Significantly, all local LDS leaders are laymen—there is no “professional” clergy, and the leadership of bishops and stake presidents rotate every 3-5 years. The church hierarchy in Salt Lake consists of the President along with two counselors who are assisted by the quorum of 12 Apostles.  These 15 men are considered apostles, prophets, seers, revelators, and witnesses to Jesus Christ.  They set policy, religious practice, and determine the proper interpretation of religious doctrine—as well as overseeing all the temporal and practical business of the Church.

Also similar to the Catholic Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has historically been plagued by the sexual abuse of minors.  The LDS church, because of its hierarchical structure and behavioral practices, maintains a code of strict confidentiality concerning internal church operations and practices.  This policy has led to a culture of secrecy when it comes to child sexual abuse, and has resulted in fertile ground for child abusers to prey upon the young and innocent in the congregation.  The secrecy and sense that the Church is somehow above civil authority has exacerbated the problem of LDS sexual abuse.  While the Church has in some ways begun to change at least its formal teachings about child abuse and its obligation to report child abuse, there is still much room for improvement, as too often in recent decades allegations of abuse have been buried and victims silenced.

Those who’ve survived Mormon sexual abuse often have conflicting feelings of doubt, shame, anger, and an aversion to religion. At the same time, many remain deeply loyal to the Church.  They’ve been betrayed by an authority figure who supposedly received a “calling” from what Mormons believe to be the  True Reconstituted Church of Jesus Christ.  Such notions of faith in God and trust in God’s appointed leaders on earth leads to much confusion and disillusionment.  We understand this confusion, and while we never suggest that a person abandon his or her faith, we do believe that, for some survivors, securing justice for themselves and accountability for their abusers and those who may have enabled it is an important part of the healing process.  I’ve listened to countless stories of good Mormons, who’ve been abused and exploited in the context of their faith, and have walked with many men and women through the legal process as they slowly heal and regain their emotional and spiritual power.  If I can guide even one person through this difficult and wrenching process, I am honored to help.