Sexual Assault Attorneys in Missouri: Your Complete Legal Guide
Missouri provides a moderately survivor-friendly civil framework compared to the national average, with a generous window for childhood sexual abuse claims and meaningful tolling provisions. Child survivors have until age 31 to file a civil claim against their direct abuser (ten years from turning 21) or three years from the discovery of the connection between abuse and injury – whichever is later. Adult survivors have five years from the date of the assault for personal injury claims. Missouri’s criminal law imposes no statute of limitations on the most serious sexual offenses involving minors, meaning criminal prosecution can proceed at any time for rape and other felonies against children. Legislative efforts in 2025 sought to extend the childhood abuse civil window further to age 41, with that bill passing the House and awaiting Senate consideration as of early 2026.
Understanding Missouri Sexual Assault Laws
Criminal Statutes of Limitations
Missouri imposes no criminal statute of limitations for the most serious sexual offenses. Under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 556.037, prosecutions for unlawful sexual offenses involving a person 18 years of age or under may be commenced at any time. This covers all offenses requiring sex offender registration under Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 589.400 to 589.425, including forcible rape, statutory sodomy, and child molestation.
For adult sexual offenses not involving a victim under 18, criminal time limits generally apply:
Forcible rape (adult victim): No criminal statute of limitations.
Sexual offenses against minors (all degrees): No criminal statute of limitations (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 556.037).
Other adult sexual offenses: Generally a two-year criminal limitations period under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 556.036, though this varies by specific charge.
Other minor-related offenses: 30 years from the victim’s 18th birthday under certain provisions.
Civil Statutes of Limitations
Adult survivors:
Missouri provides adult survivors with five years from the date of the sexual assault to file a civil personal injury claim under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120. However, where the claim is framed as assault or battery (an intentional tort), the limitations period may be two years under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.140. The framing of the specific cause of action – negligence, battery, IIED, or institutional negligence – matters significantly to which deadline applies, and this determination requires legal counsel.
Child survivors – Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.046:
Missouri’s childhood sexual abuse civil statute allows survivors to bring a claim within ten years of the plaintiff attaining the age of 21, or within three years of the date the plaintiff discovers (or reasonably should discover) that the injury or illness was caused by childhood sexual abuse – whichever is later. This effectively means survivors have until age 31 to file, or three additional years from the moment they make the cognitive and psychological connection between the abuse and resulting harm, whichever is later. The discovery rule is critical for survivors who suppressed memories of abuse or who did not understand until later in life (often through therapy) that childhood abuse caused their psychological conditions.
Pending legislation (as of early 2026):
In early 2025, the Missouri House passed a bill to extend the childhood sexual abuse civil SOL from age 31 to age 41 – an additional ten years. The bill was sent to the Missouri Senate for consideration. If enacted, this would give survivors until age 41 to file civil claims for childhood sexual abuse. Additionally, House Joint Resolutions 58 and 79 propose amending Missouri’s Constitution to allow previously time-barred claims to be revived. If a constitutional amendment is approved by voters, it could open a revival window for survivors whose claims have already expired. Survivors and advocates should monitor these developments closely.
Conviction-related extension:
If the perpetrator is criminally convicted, Missouri provides the survivor an additional three years from the date of conviction to file a civil claim, creating a dual-path opportunity: civil action can be pursued independently, but a criminal conviction can restart the civil clock if the standard window has otherwise closed.
Institutional liability:
Missouri law imposes civil liability on institutions – Catholic Church dioceses, schools, employers, youth organizations, boarding schools, treatment facilities – for negligent hiring, supervision, and retention that allowed abuse to occur. The Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph agreed to pay $2.3 million in 2023 to settle clergy abuse claims. Multiple Missouri boarding schools and residential programs have faced civil suits for systemic abuse. Institutional liability claims generally follow the same five-year or discovery-based SOL framework.
Missouri Sexual Assault Attorneys
Kayla’s Survivors
Address: 1401 S Brentwood Blvd, Suite 425, St. Louis, MO 63144
Phone: (314) 744-7800
Website: https://kaylasurvivors.com
Kayla’s Survivors is a woman and survivor-led sexual abuse law firm headquartered in St. Louis that represents survivors harmed by people in positions of power – doctors, clergy, coaches, therapists, staff at teen programs, juvenile facilities, and boarding schools. The firm describes its mission as uncovering what institutions tried to hide and holding responsible parties accountable, and it has helped survivors recover nearly $1 billion in compensation nationally. Kayla’s Survivors is actively pursuing claims against multiple Missouri residential and behavioral health facilities including Shelterwood Academy, Piney Ridge Center, Master’s Ranch, Heartland Behavioral Health, Circle of Hope, Agape Boarding School, and Change Academy. The firm handles cases throughout Missouri and nationally on contingency. Free confidential consultation.
Dollar Burns Becker & Hershewe
Address: Kansas City, MO
Phone: (816) 876-2600
Website: https://dollar-law.com
Dollar Burns Becker & Hershewe is a Kansas City plaintiff’s firm with a dedicated sexual assault practice led by partners Jill Kanatzar and Lauren Dollar, both former Assistant Prosecutors in Jackson County, Missouri. Jill Kanatzar prosecuted forcible rape, sodomy, statutory rape, and sexual assault cases while serving the state, including cases involving survivors ranging from an 89-year-old rape victim to a 9-month-old child. Lauren Dollar prosecuted perpetrators who abused vulnerable individuals and advocated for child victims. Together, they bring both criminal-prosecution insight and civil litigation skill to survivor representation, enabling them to navigate the interplay between criminal and civil proceedings strategically. The firm pursues claims against both individual perpetrators and institutions and represents survivors in civil court seeking compensatory and punitive damages. Free consultation. Contingency fee basis.
Monsees & Mayer, P.C.
Address: Kansas City and Springfield, MO
Website: https://monseesmayer.com
Monsees & Mayer is a Missouri and Kansas personal injury firm with a trauma-informed sexual abuse practice. The entire office is trained in trauma-informed approaches to client service. The firm has offices in Kansas City and Springfield and routinely travels to meet clients across both states. They handle claims against individual abusers and institutional defendants, assist with Missouri’s SOL framework and discovery rule analysis, and pursue compensation for therapy, medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Free consultation. Contingency fee basis.
Peterson & Associates, P.C.
Address: Kansas City, MO
Website: https://www.petersonlawfirm.com
Peterson & Associates is a Kansas City personal injury firm that has recovered over half a billion dollars for clients and handles civil sexual assault cases across Missouri and Kansas. The firm pursues claims involving direct perpetrator liability, premises liability, negligent security, negligent hiring and supervision, and employer liability for workplace assault. They handle cases at hotels, schools, universities, healthcare facilities, churches, and other institutional settings. Free consultation. Contingency fee basis.
DRZ Law Firm
Address: Kansas City, MO
Website: https://drzlawfirm.com
DRZ Law Firm has been a civil sexual assault litigation firm in Kansas City since 2013, with award-winning trial attorneys who have secured millions in settlements and verdicts for sexual assault survivors. The firm pursues claims against abusers and institutions, including cases involving employer liability, organizational liability, and negligent supervision. Punitive damages are actively pursued in cases involving deliberate or flagrant disregard for the safety of others under Missouri law. Free consultation. Contingency fee basis.
Levy Konigsberg LLP (Missouri Practice)
Website: https://www.levylaw.com
Levy Konigsberg is a national institutional sexual abuse firm with over $3 billion in survivor compensation recovered nationally. The firm handles Missouri clergy abuse, school abuse, and other institutional misconduct claims and has been active in Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph and Archdiocese of St. Louis investigations. Free confidential consultation. Contingency fee basis.
Key Considerations for Missouri Survivors
Child survivors have until age 31 (potentially age 41 if pending legislation passes). Under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.046, the civil window extends ten years past age 21. Proposed 2025 legislation would add another ten years. Even without legislative reform, the discovery rule can extend the deadline further.
The discovery rule can extend the deadline significantly. If you only recently (through therapy or life circumstances) connected childhood sexual abuse to your psychological injuries, the three-year discovery clock may have just begun. This has allowed survivors well past age 31 to bring valid claims.
Adult survivors have five years for personal injury claims. The more lenient five-year window applies to personal injury framing. If your claim is characterized as assault/battery, a two-year deadline may apply instead.
A criminal conviction gives you three additional years to file a civil claim. If your abuser is criminally convicted, Missouri law provides a separate three-year window from conviction, independent of the standard SOL.
Missouri institutions have faced significant accountability. The Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph settled clergy claims for $2.3 million in 2023. Multiple Missouri boarding schools and residential programs are under active civil litigation as of early 2026.
No criminal prosecution needed for civil recovery. A civil claim can proceed regardless of whether any criminal charges were filed or whether any prosecution resulted in conviction.
Pending revival window legislation could open new claims. If Missouri’s proposed constitutional amendment allowing revival of time-barred claims passes a voter referendum, survivors whose claims have already expired may gain a new filing opportunity.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a civil sexual assault lawsuit in Missouri?
Adult survivors have five years from the date of the assault (two years if framed as assault/battery). Child survivors have until age 31 or three years from discovering the abuse caused their injuries, whichever is later. Proposed 2025 legislation would extend the child survivor window to age 41.
The abuse happened to me as a child and I’m older than 31. Can I still sue?
Possibly. The discovery rule – three years from when you reasonably discovered the connection between the abuse and your injuries – may apply. If you only recently made that connection (often through therapy), you may still be within the window. Consult an attorney immediately.
Does a criminal conviction affect my civil case?
Yes. If the abuser is criminally convicted, Missouri law provides a separate three-year window from the date of conviction to file a civil claim, even if the standard SOL has otherwise closed.
Can I sue a school, church, or organization for the abuse?
Yes. Institutional liability for negligent hiring, supervision, and retention is recognized under Missouri law. Organizations that knew or should have known about the abuser’s conduct and failed to prevent further abuse can be held liable.
Can I file a civil claim if no criminal charges were filed?
Yes. Civil and criminal cases are entirely separate. You may bring a civil claim regardless of whether any criminal charges were filed or any prosecution occurred.