Sexual Assault Attorneys in Arkansas: Your Complete Legal Guide

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Arkansas has no civil deadline for a person who was a minor or a person with a disability when the sexual abuse happened. Whether older, already-expired claims could be revived is a different and unsettled question: the general revival window ran from about February 2024 to February 2026, the Court of Appeals held it could not revive barred claims, and the Arkansas Supreme Court agreed to review that ruling. A separate, narrower window tied to one bankruptcy stays open until December 31, 2026. An adult who had no disability at the time has one year for an assault and battery claim. Below are those rules, the criminal deadlines, questions for a first meeting with a lawyer, and five firms that represent survivors in Arkansas.

In an emergency, dial 911. Survivors can also reach the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.

Arkansas law in this area has changed several times since 2021. The summary below reflects sources reviewed in October 2026 and is general information rather than advice on any one case.

No Deadline for a “Vulnerable Victim” Under the Justice for Vulnerable Victims of Sexual Abuse Act

Ark. Code Ann. § 16-118-118(b)(1) provides: “Notwithstanding any other statute of limitation or any other law that may be construed to reduce the statutory period set forth in this section, a vulnerable victim may bring a civil action against any party who committed sexual abuse against the vulnerable victim or whose tortious conduct caused the vulnerable victim to be a victim of sexual abuse.”

Three definitions decide who is covered, as CHILD USA summarizes the section in its form effective August 5, 2025:

  • “Vulnerable victim” (§ 16-118-118(a)(6)): a person who was a minor, a person with a disability, or both, at the time of the sexual abuse.
  • “Sexual abuse” (§ 16-118-118(a)(3)): defined by reference to specific offenses, including rape, capital rape, sexual assault in the first and second degree, engaging children in sexually explicit conduct, transportation of minors for prohibited sexual conduct, use of children in sexual performances, and unlawful sexual contact or sexually explicit conduct with a vulnerable victim.
  • Exclusion (§ 16-118-118(c)): the section does not apply to a claim litigated to finality on the merits before July 28, 2021.

The cause of action runs against the abuser and against “any party … whose tortious conduct caused the vulnerable victim to be a victim of sexual abuse,” which reaches organizations whose negligence or other wrongful conduct made the abuse possible.

Older rules that still matter outside the Act

Two background statutes govern claims the Act does not reach. Under § 16-56-116(a), a person under 21 or insane when a cause of action accrues may sue within three years after reaching full age or after the disability is removed. Under § 16-56-130(a), a civil action based on sexual abuse suffered as a minor but not discovered until after majority “shall be brought within three (3) years from the time of discovery of the sexual abuse by the injured party.” In Barre v. Hoffman, 2009 Ark. 373, the Arkansas Supreme Court held that repressed-memory syndrome did not satisfy the insanity requirement in § 16-56-116.

Expired Claims: The Revival Window and the Nesmith Litigation

Section 16-118-118(b)(2) revived a civil action “including a cause of action arising before, on, or after July 28, 2021, that was barred or dismissed due to a statute of limitation,” which “may be commenced not earlier than six (6) months after and not later than thirty (30) months after August 1, 2023.” That period ended in early February 2026.

The window’s effect is in dispute:

  • H.C. v. Nesmith, 2025 Ark. App. 59 (February 5, 2025). The Arkansas Court of Appeals held the window did not revive claims already barred, because it violated a defendant’s vested right in an expired limitation defense. The court said it was “bound by over a century of supreme court precedent prohibiting legislative attempts to revive expired statutes of limitation.”
  • Review granted May 22, 2025. The Arkansas Supreme Court agreed to review Nesmith. Whether the Supreme Court has since decided the case is a point to confirm with a lawyer.
  • Does v. Presley, 772 F. Supp. 3d 1031 (E.D. Ark. 2025). A federal court predicted the Arkansas Supreme Court would find the revival unconstitutional, but allowed the plaintiffs to plead tolling under the delayed-discovery statute, § 16-56-130.

For a claim filed during the window, the Supreme Court’s ruling in Nesmith is the deciding event. For an expired claim that was not filed, the delayed-discovery statute and the Act’s own coverage are the provisions to examine.

The bankruptcy window under 2025 Act 49 closes December 31, 2026

Act 49 of 2025 (S.B. 13) allows a claim for injury caused by child sexual abuse to be commenced or maintained at any time when its conditions are met, including that the claim is against an entity seeking or provided protection under a plan of reorganization in the bankruptcy concerned. The act states, “This section expires on December 31, 2026.”

Adult Survivors Without a Disability

Section 16-118-118 covers people who were minors or persons with a disability at the time of the abuse. For any other adult, the general statutes apply. Under § 16-56-104, actions for “(A) Assault and battery; and (B) False imprisonment” must be “commenced within one (1) year after the cause of action shall accrue and not thereafter.” The text quoted here is the FindLaw version dated March 28, 2024. A one-year period leaves little room, so an adult survivor should see a lawyer promptly. Because the period for a claim against the assailant may differ from a negligence claim against a business, each should be identified separately.

Criminal Deadlines Under § 5-1-109

Prosecution is the state’s decision. CHILD USA, reading Ark. Code Ann. § 5-1-109 as effective August 5, 2025, reports:

  • No limit (§ 5-1-109(a)(1)): among other offenses, rape if the victim was a minor, capital rape, sexual assault in the first degree, sexual assault in the second degree if the victim was a minor, incest if the victim was a minor, and trafficking of persons.
  • Until the victim turns 28 (§ 5-1-109(a)(2)): sexual assault in the third and fourth degree and several related offenses against a minor, if the offense was not previously reported to law enforcement or a prosecuting attorney.
  • Otherwise (§ 5-1-109(b)): six years for a Class Y or Class A felony, three years for a Class B, C, D, or unclassified felony, and one year for a misdemeanor. For rape, the period is eliminated where biological evidence capable of producing a DNA profile is identified.

The civil rules above do not depend on a prosecution.

Issues to Raise Before Filing in Arkansas

Bring your date of birth, the dates of the abuse, any disability that existed at the time, the names of the people and organizations involved, and whether you filed anything during the 2024 to 2026 window. Those facts frame these issues:

  1. Were you a “vulnerable victim” under § 16-118-118(a)(6), and does the conduct meet the Act’s definition of “sexual abuse”?
  2. Which parties’ “tortious conduct caused” the abuse, and what is the evidence?
  3. If the claim had expired before 2021, what does the pending Nesmith review mean for it?
  4. Does the delayed-discovery statute, § 16-56-130, provide a separate route?
  5. Does Act 49 apply to any defendant before December 31, 2026?
  6. Does the firm represent any likely defendant or insurer in other matters?
  7. How is the contingency fee calculated, and can the case be filed under a pseudonym or sealed?

Top 5 Sexual Assault Attorneys in Arkansas

1. Taylor King Law

Taylor King Law is a statewide Arkansas plaintiff firm with a dedicated sexual assault practice. The firm handles civil lawsuits on behalf of survivors of assault, harassment, and abuse regardless of whether criminal charges have been filed. Attorneys pursue damages from perpetrators as well as third parties – including employers, schools, hospitals, hotels, and nursing homes – whose negligence enabled the abuse. Taylor King Law operates on a no-fee-until-we-win basis and is available 24/7.

2. McMath Woods P.A.

McMath Woods is a Little Rock firm with a strong commitment to representing survivors of sexual abuse in Arkansas. The firm commits the full extent of its attention, diligence, and legal expertise to each survivor it represents, and has been actively involved in advocating for survivors affected by Arkansas’s evolving SOL legislation. Attorneys at the firm include Samuel Ledbetter, Will Bond, Neil Chamberlin, Charles Harrison, Carter Stein, Sarah Jewell, Tim Giattina, Grayson Hinojosa, and David Wells. The firm offers free case evaluations and is available 24/7 for attorney referrals.

3. Greer Injury Lawyers, PLLC

Greer Injury Lawyers is a Little Rock personal injury firm that represents survivors of sexual assault in civil claims throughout Arkansas. The firm pursues compensation from perpetrators and any other legally culpable party, including institutions that failed to prevent the abuse. Attorneys Thomas Greer, Nora Alhussaini Taube, Jodi Black, Eric Espey, Andrew Clarke, Ronald Young, and R. Sadler Bailey collectively bring broad plaintiff-side experience. The firm offers free consultations, takes cases on a no-fee-unless-we-win basis, and provides bilingual services in Spanish.

4. Levy Konigsberg LLP

Levy Konigsberg is a nationally recognized trial firm with more than three decades of experience representing survivors of sexual abuse, having recovered over $3 billion in sexual abuse compensation for clients. The firm represents Arkansas survivors in civil claims against abusers and the institutions – including prisons, clergy, schools, and juvenile detention centers – that failed to protect them. Levy Konigsberg specializes in complex institutional abuse litigation and has extensive experience navigating lookback window claims and statute of limitations issues in Arkansas. The firm works on contingency – no cost to hire, no fee unless compensation is recovered.

5. Gates Law Firm, PLLC

Gates Law Firm is a Little Rock plaintiff firm with a dedicated sex abuse practice led by attorney Joseph Gates. The firm handles civil claims arising from clergy and religious institution abuse, school and coach misconduct, daycare and youth organization abuse, employer and workplace sexual assault, healthcare facility abuse, family or trusted adult abuse, and online exploitation. Gates Law Firm assists clients with court filings under anonymized or sealed records to protect survivor privacy during litigation. The firm offers free, confidential consultations and operates on a no-win, no-fee basis.

Frequently Asked Questions

I was abused at 9 in 2015. Is there a deadline to sue?

No, if the abuse meets the Act’s definition of “sexual abuse.” Section 16-118-118(b)(1) lets a person who was a minor at the time bring a civil action without a limitation period, unless the claim was litigated to finality before July 28, 2021.

My claim expired years ago and I filed during the revival window. Is it safe?

Not yet settled. The Court of Appeals held in H.C. v. Nesmith (2025) that the window could not revive barred claims, and the Arkansas Supreme Court granted review on May 22, 2025. The outcome of that review decides whether window filings survive.

Can I sue the church or school, not only the abuser?

The Act allows a civil action against “any party … whose tortious conduct caused the vulnerable victim to be a victim of sexual abuse.” Whether an organization meets that standard depends on what it knew and did.

Can someone still be prosecuted for rape of a child years later?

Yes. Section 5-1-109(a)(1) removes the time limit for rape where the victim was a minor.

Support and Reporting Lines

  • Emergency: 911
  • National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673
  • Arkansas Coalition Against Sexual Assault (office): 501-246-3276
  • Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence (office): 501-907-5612

Sources