Sexual Assault Attorneys in Kansas: Your Complete Legal Guide

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An adult survivor in Kansas can have as little as one year to sue the assailant: the state’s code requires an action for assault or battery to be brought within one year. A survivor of childhood sexual abuse has until 13 years after turning 18, or three years after the abuser’s criminal conviction, whichever is later. Below are those rules from the Kansas statutes, the separate two-year period for negligence claims, the criminal deadlines, questions to raise with a lawyer, and three firms that represent survivors in Kansas.

If you are in danger, call 911. SafeLine Kansas, the 24/7 statewide hotline of the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, is 1-888-363-2287, or text SAFE to 847411.

Statutes quoted below were read on the Kansas Revisor of Statutes website in October 2026; other points come from the sources listed at the end. This is a general explanation of Kansas law, not an assessment of any one case.

Childhood Sexual Abuse: Age 31, or Three Years After a Conviction

K.S.A. 60-523(a) provides: “No action for recovery of damages for an injury or illness suffered as a result of childhood sexual abuse shall be commenced more than 13 years after the date the victim attains 18 years of age or more than three years after the date of a criminal conviction for a crime described in subsection (b) related to such childhood sexual abuse, whichever occurs later.”

Three features of the section shape a claim:

  • The 31st birthday is the floor. Thirteen years after age 18 closes on the 31st birthday.
  • A later conviction restarts the clock. If the abuser is convicted of a listed crime at any time, the survivor has three years from that conviction, which can be decades after the abuse.
  • Psychological harm counts. Under § 60-523(b)(1), “‘Injury or illness’ includes psychological injury or illness, whether or not accompanied by physical injury or illness.”

“Childhood sexual abuse” in § 60-523(b)(2) means an act against a person under 18 that would have violated one of the listed offenses, including rape, indecent liberties and aggravated indecent liberties with a child, criminal sodomy, and aggravated criminal sodomy, along with earlier versions of those crimes.

The section as published contains no discovery rule. A survivor who connects an injury to the abuse after age 31 has no separate period running from that discovery unless there is a conviction. CHILD USA notes the same gap.

Older claims and the Vineyard Church appeal

Section 60-523(c) states that the section “shall be applicable to any action commenced on or after July 1, 1992, including any action that would be barred by application of the period of limitation applicable prior to July 1, 1992.” CHILD USA reports that in A.S. v. Vineyard Church of Overland Park, 65 Kan. App. 2d 756 (2025), the Court of Appeals held the 2023 amendment applies prospectively only, and that the Kansas Supreme Court granted review on October 17, 2025. A survivor whose older claim depends on the 2023 change should have a lawyer check the status of that review.

Adult Survivors: One Year for Assault and Battery, Two for Negligence

Kansas splits adult claims by type, and the difference is large.

K.S.A. 60-514 provides: “The following actions shall be brought within one year: … (b) An action for assault, battery, malicious prosecution, or false imprisonment.” A civil claim against the person who committed a sexual assault is a battery claim, so the one-year limit can apply.

A claim against someone else, such as a property owner, employer, or rideshare company alleged to have failed to protect the survivor, can be framed as negligence. K.S.A. 60-513(a)(4) gives two years for “An action for injury to the rights of another, not arising on contract, and not herein enumerated.” Under § 60-513(b), such a claim does not accrue “until the act giving rise to the cause of action first causes substantial injury,” or, where the fact of injury is not reasonably ascertainable at first, until it becomes reasonably ascertainable, subject to a 10-year outer limit.

The practical consequence: an adult survivor who waits more than a year may lose the claim against the assailant while a negligence claim against another defendant remains open, or the reverse. Both dates are worth fixing early.

Organizations as Defendants

Section 60-523(a) applies to “an action for recovery of damages for an injury or illness suffered as a result of childhood sexual abuse” without naming the defendant, so its period is the starting point for a childhood claim against a school, church, or youth organization. Whether the organization is liable depends on what it knew and what it did. A claim against a city, county, or school district also involves the Kansas Tort Claims Act, whose notice requirements this guide does not set out and a lawyer should check early.

Criminal Deadlines Under K.S.A. 21-5107

Prosecution is the state’s decision. CHILD USA, reading K.S.A. 21-5107 as amended in 2023, reports:

  • No limit, any age (§ 21-5107(a)(1)): rape and aggravated criminal sodomy.
  • No limit for childhood sexual abuse (§ 21-5107(a)(2)): “A prosecution for childhood sexual abuse may be commenced at any time,” covering twelve listed crimes against a victim under 18, including indecent liberties with a child, aggravated indecent liberties with a child, aggravated sexual battery, and sexual exploitation of a child.
  • Other sexually violent crimes against a minor (§ 21-5107(c)(2)): within 10 years after the victim turns 18, or one year after DNA testing conclusively establishes the suspect’s identity, whichever is later.
  • Sexually violent crimes against an adult (§ 21-5107(c)(1)): ten years, or one year from DNA identification.
  • Everything else (§ 21-5107(d)): five years.

A conviction for a crime listed in § 60-523(b) starts a new three-year civil period, so the criminal case and the civil deadline can interact.

Points to Cover With a Kansas Lawyer

The first conversation goes further with a few facts in hand: the survivor’s date of birth, the dates of the abuse or assault, whether anyone has been charged or convicted and when, and which organizations were involved. From there:

  1. For childhood abuse, what is the 31st-birthday date, and has a conviction created a later one?
  2. Does the claim depend on the 2023 amendment, and what is the status of the Vineyard Church review?
  3. For an adult assault, when does the one-year battery period under § 60-514 end?
  4. Is there a negligence claim against another defendant under § 60-513, and when did it accrue?
  5. Is any defendant a public body subject to the Kansas Tort Claims Act?
  6. Does the firm represent any likely defendant or insurer in other matters, and what does the fee agreement say about case expenses?

1. DRZ Law

DRZ Law is a Kansas trial firm that specializes exclusively in representing victims of child sexual assault and sexual abuse. The firm’s focused practice means its attorneys bring deep, case-specific knowledge of childhood sexual trauma to every representation, including experience with arbitration before the International Chamber of Commerce Court of Arbitration in addition to state and federal court litigation.

The firm was founded by Dan Zmijewski, a native of Kansas City who graduated in the top 20% of his class at the University of Kansas School of Law in 2002. Zmijewski began his legal career at Polsinelli PC, one of the largest law firms in the country, where he handled a full spectrum of plaintiff and defense matters across state and federal courts. He left large firm practice to create DRZ Law with the explicit goal of using his litigation experience to represent individuals who cannot obtain justice on their own. Zmijewski has been named “Best of the Bar” in the Kansas City Business Journal by a vote of fellow attorneys and has been recognized as a Super Lawyer and Super Lawyer Rising Star. He previously served as Board Chair of Wonderscope Children’s Museum and has served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Kansas School of Law teaching depositions skills and expert witness technique.

The firm also includes attorney Matthew R. Hale. DRZ Law has obtained compensation for 100 percent of its sexual assault clients and has secured millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements on behalf of survivors. Settled and pending cases include a confidential settlement for a student sexually assaulted by other students at a private school and a $370,000 arbitration award for a student victimized in a private school dormitory setting.

DRZ Law’s approach is built on believing the victim, not blaming them, and representing clients against institutions — schools, churches, sports organizations, large businesses — that ignored or covered up abuse. The firm is available for consultations by Zoom or in person. All initial consultations are free and confidential.

2. Monsees & Mayer, P.C.

  • Location: Kansas City, Missouri (primary); Springfield, Missouri; serving survivors throughout Kansas including Kansas City, Lawrence, Manhattan, Wichita, and Topeka
  • Phone: (816) 361-5555
  • Website: https://www.monseesmayer.com

Monsees & Mayer is a nationally recognized personal injury firm with extensive sexual abuse litigation experience across Missouri and Kansas. The firm has nearly 100 years of combined attorney experience and is especially well known throughout the Kansas City metro area and surrounding states for its representation of sexual abuse survivors and its work on complex institutional abuse cases.

The firm’s sexual abuse practice spans child molestation, school abuse, church and clergy abuse, camp abuse including Kanakuk Kamp cases, boarding school abuse including Agape Boarding School and multiple other residential programs, and doctor or therapist abuse. The firm’s entire staff is trained in trauma-informed practice to reduce the potential for re-traumatization during the legal process.

The firm’s attorneys include Timothy W. Monsees and David M. Mayer, both Super Lawyers with decades of plaintiff experience. Mayer has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America since 2013, is ranked as a top 1% attorney by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel, and has been named a top 10% attorney for client satisfaction by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys. Phillip “Reed” Martens, a Shareholder since 2021, leads the firm’s sexual abuse practice and is its primary Kansas attorney. Martens graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law in 2016, is licensed to practice in state and federal courts in both Missouri and Kansas, and has been named a Super Lawyer Rising Star for multiple years running and an AV Preeminent attorney by Martindale-Hubbell. Martens has obtained millions in verdicts and settlements for survivors of sexual trauma. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence (MOCADSV) and has testified before the Missouri legislature in support of expanding the statute of limitations for child abuse survivors. Additional attorneys include Robert “Bobby” Thrasher and Ryan D. Frazier.

The firm has offices in Kansas City and Springfield and regularly travels to meet clients throughout Missouri, Kansas, and Arkansas. All consultations are free and confidential, and the firm works on a contingency fee basis.

3. Goodwin Johnston LLC

  • Location: Kansas City, Missouri (serving survivors throughout Missouri and Kansas, including Kansas City, Lawrence, Manhattan, Wichita, Topeka, St. Joseph, Springfield, Columbia, and St. Louis)
  • Phone: (816) 624-3115
  • Website: https://www.goodwinjohnston.com

Goodwin Johnston LLC is a Kansas City personal injury firm that represents sexual assault survivors and their families throughout Missouri and Kansas. The firm focuses on serious personal injury claims including sexual assault, and its attorneys bring a combination of litigation experience and compassionate client advocacy to survivor representation.

The firm’s principal attorneys are Andrew Goodwin and Matthew Johnston. Both attorneys emphasize a thorough understanding of the applicable statutes of limitations in Kansas and Missouri and the importance of prompt legal consultation to preserve a survivor’s options. The firm’s approach centers on identifying all potentially responsible parties including institutions that failed to provide adequate security, supervision, or response to known risks, and pursuing maximum compensation for the full range of survivor damages including medical costs, therapy, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

The firm serves clients across a broad geographic footprint in the Kansas City metro area and throughout both states. Initial consultations are free, and the firm handles all cases on a contingency fee basis.

Frequently Asked Questions

I was abused at 12 and I am now 33. Is my claim over?

Not if the abuser has been convicted of a listed crime within the last three years. Otherwise the 13-year period under § 60-523(a) closed at 31, and the section has no discovery rule that would reopen it.

Is the adult deadline two years?

Not for a claim against the assailant. Assault and battery actions must be brought within one year under K.S.A. 60-514. The two-year period in K.S.A. 60-513 applies to negligence claims, such as a claim that a business failed to provide reasonable security.

The person who abused me in 1995 was convicted last year. Can I sue now?

Section 60-523(a) allows an action within three years after a criminal conviction for a listed crime related to the childhood sexual abuse, if that is later than the 31st-birthday date.

Can I file without a criminal case?

Yes. Section 60-523 uses a conviction only as one way to extend the deadline; it does not require one.

Support and Reporting Lines

  • Emergency: 911
  • SafeLine Kansas, 24/7 (Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence): 1-888-363-2287, or text SAFE to 847411
  • Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence (office): 785-232-9784
  • National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673

Firms are included based on publicly available information; inclusion is not an endorsement.

Sources