Sexual Assault Attorneys in North Carolina: Your Complete Legal Guide
North Carolina’s legal landscape for sexual assault survivors changed significantly in 2019 when the General Assembly unanimously passed Senate Bill 199, the Sexual Assault Fast Reporting and Enforcement Act (SAFE Act / SAFE Child Act). The law extended the civil statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse from age 21 to age 28 – ten years from reaching the age of majority at 18 – under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-17(d). The SAFE Child Act also created a two-year revival window (January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2021) for previously time-barred childhood sexual abuse claims. In January 2025, the North Carolina Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of that lookback window in McKinney v. Goins, validating claims brought under it and confirming that institutions – not just individual perpetrators – can be sued under the revival provision. The court’s ruling was a significant victory for survivors who filed within the window. The lookback window is now closed. For adult survivors, the standard three-year civil statute of limitations applies. The SAFE Child Act also strengthened consent laws, expanded reporting requirements, and gave North Carolina the distinction of becoming the last state to eliminate a loophole that previously prevented individuals from revoking consent mid-act.
Understanding North Carolina Sexual Assault Laws
Criminal Statutes of Limitations
Adult victims: North Carolina does not maintain a specific sexual assault criminal SOL that differs from its general felony limitations. Most felony sexual offenses carry a general limitations period, but Class A through E felonies (which include most serious sexual offenses against adults) have no statute of limitations for criminal prosecution.
Child victims: The SAFE Child Act extended the criminal SOL for misdemeanor sexual offenses against minors. The SAFE Act ensures prosecutors have more time to bring charges for abuse that happened years earlier.
DNA evidence: North Carolina allows criminal prosecution to commence based on DNA identification without the standard limitations period barring the claim in certain circumstances.
Civil Statutes of Limitations
Child survivors – N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-17(d):
Survivors of childhood sexual abuse (abuse occurring before age 18) have until their 28th birthday to file a civil lawsuit. This is 10 years from reaching the age of majority at 18. The 10-year statute of repose that applies to some personal injury claims does not apply to childhood sexual abuse claims; even if the abuse ended many years before the deadline, the survivor still has until age 28.
Conviction-related extension – N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-17(e):
If the abuser is criminally convicted of related felony sexual abuse offenses, the survivor may have an additional 2 years from the date of that conviction to file a civil claim, regardless of whether the standard age-28 deadline has passed.
Adult survivors – N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52:
Survivors of sexual assault that occurred when they were 18 or older have three years from the date of the most recent instance of abuse to file a civil claim. The clock starts from the last incident of abuse in continuing situations. The discovery rule may toll (pause) the limitation period if the survivor did not and could not reasonably discover the abuse – this has been applied in cases involving repressed memories, but the clock generally cannot be extended more than 10 years from the last incident.
Revival window (CLOSED):
The SAFE Child Act’s revival window ran January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2021. The North Carolina Supreme Court upheld its constitutionality in January 2025. Claims filed within the window under the revival provision may now proceed. The window is closed for new filings.
Institutional liability:
The North Carolina Supreme Court confirmed in 2025 that the revival provision permitted lawsuits against institutions (school boards, dioceses, organizations) as well as individual perpetrators. Outside the revival window, survivors can sue institutional defendants for negligent hiring, supervision, and retention within the applicable SOL.
No criminal conviction required:
Civil claims can proceed regardless of whether criminal charges were filed or resulted in conviction. The civil burden of proof – preponderance of the evidence – is lower than the criminal standard of beyond a reasonable doubt.
North Carolina Sexual Assault Attorneys
Rhine Law Firm, P.C.
Address: Wilmington, NC (statewide national practice)
Phone: (910) 772-9960
Website: https://www.carolinaaccidentattorneys.com/institutional-sex-abuse/
Rhine Law Firm is North Carolina’s most prominent institutional sexual abuse litigation firm. The firm secured a $140 million default judgment for victims of Michael Kelly, a former New Hanover County Schools teacher, and a $5.75 million settlement against the New Hanover County Board of Education in that same case. Rhine Law Firm focuses exclusively on institutional abuse cases – schools, religious organizations, youth groups, and any setting where systemic failures enabled abuse. The firm has the experience of litigating under the SAFE Child Act against powerful institutional defendants and has pursued cases nationally. Free confidential consultation. Contingency fee.
Edwards Kirby, LLP
Offices: Raleigh and Charlotte, NC (statewide practice)
Phone: (919) 780-5400
Website: https://www.edwardskirby.com
Edwards Kirby has over 170 collective years of legal experience and has served North Carolina clients since 1993. The firm’s sexual assault and harassment attorneys hold perpetrators and institutional enablers accountable in civil claims throughout the state. The firm handles adult survivor claims, SAFE Child Act claims, Title IX violations, and institutional negligence cases involving inadequate security and failure to screen employees. No fees unless they win. Free consultation.
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers
Offices: Raleigh, Goldsboro, Kinston, and Jacksonville, NC (statewide)
Website: https://justicecounts.com/north-carolina-sexual-assault-lawyer/
Riddle & Riddle has obtained a $5 million verdict against a Wayne County sheriff’s deputy who forced jailed women to engage in sexual activity – a rare and significant institutional accountability result in the law enforcement context. The firm handles claims involving employers, businesses with inadequate security, and professionals who failed to report known threats. Available 24/7 for free confidential consultations. No fees unless they win.
Lanier Law Group, P.A.
Address: North Carolina (statewide)
Website: https://www.lanierlawgroup.com/north-carolina/practice-areas/sexual-abuse
Lanier Law Group has over 25 years of experience and provides trauma-informed legal support to survivors throughout North Carolina. The firm handles claims involving negligent security, institutional failures, employer liability, and direct perpetrator claims. Every case is prepared for trial from the start to maximize settlement leverage. Free confidential consultation. Contingency fee.
Nichols Law Firm
Address: Raleigh and Cary, NC
Website: https://www.nicholstriallaw.com
Attorney Christopher R. Nichols represents only victims – never perpetrators – in sexual abuse civil litigation. The firm has handled cases involving adult survivors and childhood survivors, navigating statute of limitations issues with particular expertise. Free confidential consultation. Contingency fee.
Tatum & Atkinson, PLLC
Address: Raleigh, NC (statewide)
Website: https://tatumatkinson.com
Tatum & Atkinson is a North Carolina personal injury firm with a dedicated sexual assault practice. The firm handles claims under the SAFE Child Act, adult SOL cases, and institutional negligence, and provides detailed guidance on statute of limitations issues including discovery rule tolling. Free confidential consultation. No fees unless they win.
Key Considerations for North Carolina Survivors
Childhood abuse survivors have until age 28. Under the SAFE Child Act (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-17(d)), survivors abused before age 18 have until their 28th birthday to file a civil lawsuit. This is one of the most commonly misunderstood deadlines – do not assume you are too old to sue without consulting an attorney.
Criminal conviction adds 2 more years. If your abuser is later criminally convicted of a related felony, you have an additional two years from that conviction date to file a civil claim.
The 2019 lookback window is closed but upheld. The SAFE Child Act’s two-year revival window closed December 31, 2021. The North Carolina Supreme Court upheld its constitutionality in January 2025, confirming that cases filed during that window may proceed against both individual abusers and institutions.
Institutions can be held accountable. The NC Supreme Court’s January 2025 ruling confirmed that lawsuits under the revival provision can target institutions – school boards, dioceses, organizations – not just the direct perpetrator.
Adult survivors have 3 years. There is no extended deadline for adults assaulted after age 18. The three-year personal injury limitation applies, running from the last incident or from the date of reasonable discovery.
Criminal case not required. You may pursue a civil claim without any criminal case having been filed or resulting in conviction.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a civil lawsuit for childhood sexual abuse in North Carolina?
Until your 28th birthday, under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-17(d). If your abuser is later criminally convicted of a related felony, you get an additional two years from that conviction date.
Was the SAFE Child Act lookback window constitutional?
Yes. The North Carolina Supreme Court unanimously upheld the revival window’s constitutionality in McKinney v. Goins (January 2025), ruling that the legislature could revive previously time-barred civil claims for childhood sexual abuse.
Can I sue an institution, not just the abuser?
Yes. The North Carolina Supreme Court also confirmed that the revival window permitted claims against institutions (school boards, churches, organizations), not just individual perpetrators.
Do I need a police report or criminal conviction to sue?
No. Civil claims are separate from criminal cases and proceed on a lower burden of proof.