Sexual Assault Attorneys in Connecticut: Your Complete Legal Guide

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Connecticut measures a survivor’s civil deadline from age 21, not 18, for abuse that happened on or after October 1, 2019, and it removes the civil deadline altogether once the person at fault is convicted of first degree sexual assault or aggravated first degree sexual assault. Without such a conviction, a person assaulted at 21 or older has three years from the act under the general tort statute. Below are the statutes behind those rules, the separate criminal deadlines, points to settle with a lawyer, and five firms that represent survivors in Connecticut.

If you are in immediate danger, call 911. Connecticut’s 24/7 statewide sexual violence hotline is 1-888-999-5545 in English and 1-888-568-8332 in Spanish.

The Connecticut statutes quoted here were reviewed in October 2026 through the sources at the end of the page. They are summarized as general information, not as advice on a specific claim.

Abuse Before Age 21: Thirty Years, Counted From the 21st Birthday

The governing civil statute is Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-577d. Its text reads: “Notwithstanding the provisions of section 52-577, no action to recover damages for personal injury to a person under twenty-one years of age, including emotional distress, caused by sexual abuse, sexual exploitation or sexual assault may be brought by such person later than thirty years from the date such person attains the age of twenty-one.”

That wording dates from Public Act 19-16, effective October 1, 2019. CHILD USA reports that the 2019 amendment replaced “under eighteen years of age” with “under twenty-one years of age” and “age of majority” with “age of twenty-one,” and that it applies to causes of action arising from incidents committed on or after October 1, 2019. Two groups follow from that:

  • Incidents on or after October 1, 2019: a survivor who was under 21 at the time has until 30 years after turning 21, which is the 51st birthday.
  • Incidents before October 1, 2019: the earlier wording governs, which covered survivors under 18 and ran 30 years from the age of majority.

Two Connecticut court decisions, as summarized by CHILD USA, shape how the section works. In 323 Conn. 303 (2016), identified as Doe v. Boy Scouts of America Corp., the Connecticut Supreme Court applied § 52-577d to claims against perpetrators and against parties whose negligence legally caused the survivor’s injuries. In 178 Conn. App. 547, the Appellate Court held that the section does not require repressed memories; a survivor who always remembered the abuse may still rely on it.

Connecticut has never opened a time-limited revival window. CHILD USA explains that the state reached back instead by lengthening the limitation period itself, and that the Connecticut Supreme Court in 317 Conn. 357 held that applying an extended § 52-577d to revive otherwise barred claims did not violate a defendant’s substantive due process rights.

A Conviction Under § 53a-70 or § 53a-70a Removes the Civil Deadline at Any Age

Section 52-577e overrides both the general tort statute and § 52-577d in one situation: “an action to recover damages for personal injury caused by sexual assault may be brought at any time after the date of the act complained of if the party legally at fault for such injury has been convicted of a violation of section 53a-70 or 53a-70a.” Sections 53a-70 and 53a-70a are first degree sexual assault and aggravated first degree sexual assault. CHILD USA reports that § 52-577e took effect May 23, 2002 and applies to incidents before, on, or after that date.

The rule applies regardless of the survivor’s age at the time of the assault. It depends on a conviction under one of those two sections; a conviction for a different offense does not trigger it.

Assaults on Adults 21 and Older

Section 52-577d covers injuries to a person under 21. An assault on someone 21 or older, without a conviction under § 53a-70 or § 53a-70a, falls under Connecticut’s general tort limitation statutes in Chapter 926 of the General Statutes, including § 52-577, which § 52-577d names. Section 52-577 provides: “No action founded upon a tort shall be brought but within three years from the date of the act or omission complained of.” The three years run from the act itself, not from discovery; the text quoted here is the FindLaw version dated January 1, 2025. The governing section can differ between a claim against the assailant and a claim against an employer, landlord, or school, so each defendant’s deadline is worth confirming separately.

The Criminal Deadlines in § 54-193

Prosecution is the state’s decision, and its time limits are separate from the civil ones. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-193(a)(1)(B), as amended by Public Act 19-16, there is no limitation of time for “any other offense involving sexual abuse, sexual exploitation or sexual assault if the victim of the offense was a minor at the time of the offense.” For adult victims, CHILD USA summarizes the statute this way:

  • Twenty years for class B felony violations of § 53a-70, 53a-70a or 53a-70b, class C felony violations of § 53a-71 or 53a-72b, and class D felony violations of § 53a-72a (§ 54-193(b)(1)).
  • Thirty years after the victim turns 21 where the victim was 18, 19, or 20 at the time of the offense (§ 54-193(b)(2)).
  • Ten years for a class A misdemeanor violation of § 53a-73a where the victim was 21 or older (§ 54-193(b)(3)).

Under § 54-193b, there is no limitation for violations of § 53a-70, 53a-70a, 53a-71, 53a-72a, or 53a-72b when the victim notified a police officer or state’s attorney within five years of the offense and the suspect’s identity is established through a DNA profile comparison using evidence collected at the time. A report made early can therefore matter years later even if no suspect is identified at first.

A conviction under § 53a-70 or § 53a-70a links the two tracks through § 52-577e. Otherwise the civil periods run on their own regardless of whether anyone is charged.

Points to Settle With a Connecticut Lawyer

A lawyer can pin down the deadline once a few facts are on the table: the survivor’s date of birth, the dates of the abuse (especially whether any of it happened on or after October 1, 2019), and whether anyone has been convicted and of which offense. Questions worth asking in the first meeting:

  1. Does § 52-577d apply in its 2019 form or its earlier form, and what is the resulting last day to file?
  2. Is there a conviction under § 53a-70 or § 53a-70a that brings § 52-577e into play?
  3. For an assault at 21 or older, which Chapter 926 statute governs each defendant, and does each period run from the act or from discovery?
  4. Which organizations, beyond the individual, could be responsible, and on what facts?
  5. Does the firm represent any of those organizations or their insurers in other matters?
  6. Under the fee agreement, who carries the cost of experts and depositions if the case is lost?
  7. Can the case be filed under a pseudonym, and what has to be shown to the court to do that?

Top 5 Sexual Assault Attorneys in Connecticut

1. Kennedy, Johnson, Schwab & Roberge, P.C. (KJSR)

KJSR is a Connecticut plaintiff firm founded in 1988 with more than 30 years of experience representing survivors of childhood sexual abuse and adult sexual assault in civil claims. The firm handles lawsuits against churches, universities, doctors, daycares, and foster care systems where institutions knew about abuse and failed to stop it. Attorneys identify all responsible parties beyond the individual perpetrator and litigate claims against institutions for negligent hiring, supervision, and retention. KJSR offers free, confidential consultations, handles cases on a contingency basis, and provides bilingual services in Spanish.

2. Bartlett & Grippe, LLC

  • Phone: (203) 463-4939
  • Website: https://bartlettgrippe.com
  • Address: Connecticut (multiple locations)
  • Attorneys: Frank C. Bartlett Jr., Joseph R. Grippe, Karen Gallagher, Jason Gamsby, Steven Grant, Ron Houde, Bryan Haas

Bartlett & Grippe is a Connecticut firm with a dedicated sexual abuse practice covering child sexual abuse, Boy Scout abuse, priest and clergy abuse, and medical sexual abuse. The firm has successfully tried sexual abuse cases to verdict, including a $2,750,000 jury verdict for a woman molested as a child 40 years prior, despite limited documentary evidence. Attorneys note that more than 95% of Connecticut sexual abuse cases settle before trial, but every case is prepared as if it will go to verdict. The firm files cases using aliases (John Doe / Jane Doe) at client request. Available 24/7; contingency fee basis.

3. Jainchill & Beckert, LLC

Jainchill & Beckert is a Connecticut plaintiff firm with over 55 years of combined legal experience handling sexual abuse cases. The firm handles civil sexual abuse claims arising from rape, sexual assault, molestation, sexual harassment, and sexual exploitation. Attorneys pursue claims against perpetrators and third-party institutions whose negligent hiring, supervision, or retention enabled the abuse. Free 24/7 case reviews available; contingency fee basis.

4. D’Amico Pettinicchi Injury Lawyers

D’Amico Pettinicchi is a Connecticut plaintiff firm with a dedicated child sex abuse practice. The firm represents survivors in civil claims against perpetrators and the institutions that enabled the abuse, including schools, religious organizations, youth programs, and medical facilities. Attorneys use diaries, disclosures to friends, prior similar acts, expert witnesses, and medical records to establish abuse that occurred decades ago. The firm evaluates all potential defendants for financial resources to ensure that any judgment or settlement can actually be paid. Free case evaluations available; contingency fee basis.

5. Kennedy, Johnson, Schwab & Roberge, P.C. (Norwalk office)

For survivors in Fairfield County and southwestern Connecticut, KJSR’s Norwalk office provides the same depth of representation. The Norwalk team handles sexual assault and abuse cases statewide and is experienced in campus sexual assault, rideshare sexual assault (Uber and Lyft), and institutional childhood abuse. Contact: (203) 354-4559. Website: https://www.kennedyjohnson.com/norwalk/

Note: Tremont Sheldon P.C. (Bridgeport) is an additional well-regarded Connecticut sexual abuse firm that has advocated for survivors for more than 30 years. Their website was temporarily unavailable during research; their phone number is (203) 212-9075 and their website is https://www.tremontsheldon.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

I was abused at 15 in 2005. How long do I have to file?

The pre-2019 wording of § 52-577d governs an incident from 2005, so the period is 30 years from the date you reached the age of majority. If the person responsible was convicted under § 53a-70 or § 53a-70a, § 52-577e removes the deadline entirely.

I was assaulted at 19 in 2022. Does the childhood statute cover me?

Yes. For incidents on or after October 1, 2019, § 52-577d covers injuries to a person under 21, and the 30-year period runs from the 21st birthday.

Can I sue if the person who assaulted me was never charged?

Yes. The civil periods in § 52-577d run whether or not there is a prosecution. A criminal case matters to the civil deadline only when it ends in a conviction under § 53a-70 or § 53a-70a, which removes the deadline under § 52-577e.

Can a school, church, or youth organization be sued under the childhood statute?

Yes, according to the Connecticut Supreme Court’s 2016 decision in 323 Conn. 303, which applied § 52-577d to parties whose negligence legally caused the survivor’s injuries as well as to perpetrators. Whether a particular organization is liable depends on what it knew and did.

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