Sexual Assault Attorneys in Minnesota: Your Complete Legal Guide
Minnesota has enacted some of the most survivor-favorable civil sexual abuse laws in the country. For childhood sexual abuse, Minnesota law imposes no statute of limitations – victims may file a civil lawsuit at any time, regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred. For adult survivors, a six-year civil window applies. Minnesota also eliminated its criminal statute of limitations for the most serious sexual offenses in 2021, meaning prosecution can now proceed decades after the fact. For survivors of Minnesota sexual abuse, the legal environment is more open than in most states – but institutional claims carry important time-sensitive restrictions that require early consultation with an attorney.
Understanding Minnesota Sexual Assault Laws
Criminal Statutes of Limitations
In 2021, Minnesota eliminated the criminal statute of limitations for the most serious sexual offenses, bringing the state in line with progressive reforms enacted across the country. Under current Minnesota law (Minn. Stat. § 628.26):
First-degree criminal sexual conduct (Minn. Stat. § 609.342): No criminal statute of limitations. Prosecution may be brought at any time.
Second-degree criminal sexual conduct (Minn. Stat. § 609.343): No criminal statute of limitations. Prosecution may be brought at any time.
Third-degree criminal sexual conduct (Minn. Stat. § 609.344): No criminal statute of limitations as of 2021 reform.
Fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct (Minn. Stat. § 609.345): No criminal statute of limitations as of 2021 reform.
Fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct (Minn. Stat. § 609.3451): Nine years from the date of the offense.
Sex trafficking (Minn. Stat. § 609.322): No criminal statute of limitations.
The 2021 reforms did not apply retroactively to offenses that were already time-barred before the legislation took effect in September 2021.
Civil Statutes of Limitations
Childhood sexual abuse – no SOL (Minn. Stat. § 541.073(a)(2)):
Minnesota’s civil statute provides that an action for damages based on sexual abuse of an individual under 18 years of age may be commenced at any time. There is no statute of limitations for civil claims against the direct perpetrator of childhood sexual abuse. This is one of the most expansive child sexual abuse civil laws in the United States.
However, two narrow exceptions apply. First, if the defendant was under age 14 at the time of the abuse (e.g., a child abused by a slightly older peer), the claim must be commenced before the plaintiff turns 24. Second, and critically: claims against an institution based on vicarious liability or respondeat superior (i.e., the claim that the institution is liable for the actions of its employee or agent) must be commenced within six years, and if the plaintiff was under 18 at the time of the abuse, the institutional claim must be filed before the plaintiff’s 24th birthday.
This distinction between direct perpetrator claims and institutional claims is essential. A survivor may have an unlimited time to sue the direct abuser personally while having until age 24 to sue the school, church, or organization that employed or harbored that abuser. Survivors who were abused in institutional settings should consult an attorney well before reaching age 24 to preserve institutional liability claims.
Adult survivors (Minn. Stat. § 541.073(a)(1)):
Survivors who were adults when the abuse occurred must file a civil claim within six years of the alleged sexual abuse. The six-year period runs from the date of the last act of abuse in a continuous series of abusive acts, not the first act. This is significant for survivors who were abused repeatedly over an extended period: the clock runs from the most recent incident, not the beginning of the abuse.
Minnesota does not provide a separate discovery rule for adult survivors under Section 541.073, though general tolling provisions (such as for disability under Minn. Stat. § 541.15) may affect the deadline in certain circumstances. Consult an attorney about whether any tolling applies to your specific situation.
Criminal conviction not required:
Under Minn. Stat. § 541.073, a civil claim may proceed regardless of whether any criminal prosecution was brought and regardless of whether any prosecution resulted in conviction. Civil cases apply the lower preponderance-of-evidence standard.
Minnesota Sexual Assault Attorneys
Jeff Anderson & Associates, P.A.
Address: 366 Jackson Street, Suite 100, St. Paul, MN 55101
Phone: (651) 227-9990
Website: https://www.andersonadvocates.com
Jeff Anderson & Associates is the oldest and most prominent institutional child sexual abuse litigation firm in the United States. Founded by Jeffrey Anderson (Minnesota Bar, 1975) in November 1981 in St. Paul, the firm pioneered the use of civil litigation against the Catholic Church and other institutions for harboring child sexual abusers – a field of law Anderson essentially created. Over more than 40 years the firm has filed thousands of cases on behalf of survivors and has been responsible for landmark institutional disclosures, including the release of thousands of previously secret documents about childhood sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
Jeff Anderson has been named one of the Top 100 Lawyers in Minnesota, recognized as the 2003 Lawyer of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer, and received the National Crime Victim Bar Association’s Frank Carrington Champion of Civil Justice Award. He is admitted to practice in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Colorado, New York, the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, the 8th and 9th Circuits, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Senior attorney Mike Finnegan (Yale University, B.A. Psychology, 1999; William Mitchell College of Law, J.D., 2004) has handled thousands of cases against individual perpetrators and institutions, forcing the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis to release over 50,000 documents pertaining to accused priests. He was the attorney of record in a federal lawsuit that resulted in the Vatican being ordered to produce documents in a child sex abuse case for the first time. The firm maintains a national network of attorneys and offices in St. Paul, California, New Jersey, and New York. Cases are handled on contingency – no fees unless the firm wins. Free confidential consultations.
Goldenberg Lauricella PLLC
Address: Minneapolis, MN
Phone: (612) 333-4662
Website: https://www.goldenberglaw.com
Goldenberg Lauricella is a top-rated Minneapolis personal injury and civil litigation firm with a dedicated sexual abuse practice. The firm is led by attorneys Stuart L. Goldenberg and Noah C. Lauricella and has recovered over $200 million for clients including sexual abuse survivors and personal injury plaintiffs. The firm handles sexual assault claims, institutional negligence cases, and third-party liability matters, including employer liability for workplace assault and school or organizational liability. Free confidential consultation. Contingency fee basis.
Meshbesher & Spence, Ltd.
Website: https://www.meshbesher.com
Practice area: Minneapolis, MN with statewide practice
Meshbesher & Spence is one of Minnesota’s most established personal injury firms, with multiple office locations across the state, and handles civil claims for childhood sexual abuse survivors. The firm offers free consultations, visits clients at home or in the hospital when necessary, and handles cases on a contingency basis. They assist survivors in determining whether they can recover damages and help navigate the complexities of Minnesota’s SOL framework including the distinction between direct perpetrator and institutional claims.
Storms Dworak
Website: https://www.stormsdworak.com
Phone: 612-455-7050
Storms Dworak is a Minneapolis civil rights and personal injury firm with significant experience representing survivors of sexual assault and abuse in institutional and civil rights contexts, including hospital abuse, group home abuse, foster care abuse, and religious institutional abuse. Lead attorneys Jeff Storms and Paul Dworak have each been named Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer multiple times, the highest professional honor in the state legal community. Storms earned the designation in 2013 for a $3.075 million police brutality wrongful death recovery and in 2018 for the Kendrea Johnson foster child suicide case. The firm regularly handles complex cases in both state and federal court and has secured multiple million-dollar-plus recoveries for sexual abuse, civil rights, and medical malpractice survivors. Cases handled on contingency. Free consultation.
Key Considerations for Minnesota Survivors
No SOL for childhood sexual abuse against the direct abuser. Under Minn. Stat. § 541.073, there is no deadline to sue the person who directly abused you as a child, regardless of how long ago it occurred and regardless of your current age. This is one of the most survivor-favorable rules in the country.
Institutional claims against schools, churches, and organizations are time-sensitive. Even though you have unlimited time to sue the direct abuser, claims against the institution that employed or supervised that abuser (vicarious liability) must be filed within six years, and if you were a minor at the time of the abuse, before you turn 24. This deadline can pass years before a survivor is ready to come forward.
Adult survivors have six years from the last act of abuse. The clock runs from the most recent abusive act in a continuing series, not the beginning of the abuse. If you were abused multiple times, you may have six years from the most recent incident.
Criminal conviction is not required. A civil claim can proceed regardless of whether criminal charges were ever filed or whether any prosecution resulted in conviction.
Minnesota has no criminal SOL for most serious sexual offenses. For first through fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct and sex trafficking, criminal prosecution can proceed at any time in Minnesota. This applies to offenses committed after the September 2021 reform date.
Institutional abuse cases require early action. If you were sexually abused in a school, church, sports organization, or other institutional setting as a minor, you must file your institutional liability claim before age 24. Do not wait.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse in Minnesota?
For claims directly against the abuser, there is no statute of limitations – you may file at any time. For claims against institutions like schools, churches, or organizations (vicarious liability), the deadline is before you turn 24 if you were a minor at the time.
I was abused as a child and am now over 24. Can I still sue?
Potentially. Your claim against the direct perpetrator still has no time limit. Your institutional claim would be time-barred, but your personal claim against the abuser may still proceed. Consult an attorney.
How long do I have if I was assaulted as an adult?
Six years from the last abusive act. This runs from the most recent incident in a continuing series.
Can I sue my church, school, or employer if they failed to protect me?
Yes, under Minnesota’s institutional liability framework. However, these claims are time-sensitive and must typically be filed within six years or, for minors, before age 24.
Do I need a criminal conviction to bring a civil lawsuit?
No. Civil and criminal cases are separate. You may bring a civil claim regardless of whether any criminal charges were filed or any prosecution resulted in conviction.