Sexual abuse by a clergy member or church leader is a profound betrayal of trust, and the wounds it leaves can be emotional, psychological, and spiritual. If you or someone you love was abused within a church or religious institution in Fort Lauderdale, you have the right to seek justice through the civil court system.
A trusted Fort Lauderdale church sexual abuse lawyer at Horowitz Law can help you understand your options and stand with you at every step.
For more than two decades, our attorneys have represented survivors against powerful religious organizations, and we are ready to do the same for you. We believe survivors, we respect the courage it takes to come forward, and we have the experience to hold institutions accountable, no matter how large or influential they may be.
Too many religious organizations across South Florida have placed their reputation ahead of the safety of their congregations. You deserve a legal team that listens, that treats you with dignity, and that fights for the accountability you are owed.
Call 954-641-2100 to schedule a free, confidential consultation with our team today.
Why Choose Horowitz Law as Your Fort Lauderdale Clergy Abuse Attorney
When you are ready to take a step toward justice, the legal team you choose matters, and Horowitz Law brings the skill, compassion, and focus your case calls for. We have spent more than two decades representing survivors of sexual abuse in civil court, and that experience shapes everything we do as a clergy abuse attorney in Fort Lauderdale.
Here is what sets our firm apart:
- A track record of meaningful results, including a $70 million jury verdict obtained for a sexual assault survivor in Fort Lauderdale, one of the largest such awards ever achieved for an individual survivor in the country.
- Complete dedication to sexual abuse cases, so our entire team understands the legal and emotional realities these claims involve.
- A nationwide network of forensic professionals, counselors, and mental health resources to support you throughout the process and beyond.
- Survivor-centered representation built on regular communication, respect for your pace, and steady attention to your well-being.
From your first call, you will be met with a confidential, judgment-free consultation at no cost. We never charge a fee unless we win your case, so there is no financial risk in reaching out. Contact us to talk through your legal options today.
What Makes Horowitz Law’s Fort Lauderdale Clergy Abuse Experience Different?
What sets our experience apart is the decades we have spent at the forefront of clergy abuse litigation, including dozens of cases against Catholic dioceses across the country. That depth of experience is rare, and it shapes how we approach every claim we take.
Our managing partner, Adam Horowitz, has more than 25 years of experience holding religious institutions accountable for sexual abuse. In that time, he has litigated priest molestation cases against Catholic dioceses throughout the United States, work that helped expose predators, and forced confidential church records into public view.
That history matters for survivors here at home. As a priest abuse lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, Adam has fought and won hard battles over the statute of limitations and the First Amendment defenses that institutions often raise to avoid accountability.
Based in Fort Lauderdale, our firm represents survivors of clergy abuse throughout the United States, and we bring that national experience to every Fort Lauderdale diocese sexual abuse claim we handle.
Our recognition reflects this commitment. Adam has earned the AV Preeminent peer review rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating available, and in 2024 survivor advocates honored him with the Legacy of Justice award for his work on behalf of survivors in and out of the courtroom.
When you work with us, you are working with attorneys who have spent their careers in this exact area, and who understand what it takes to confront a religious institution in court.
Understanding Church and Clergy Sexual Abuse
Church and clergy sexual abuse is any sexual misconduct committed by a religious leader, clergy member, volunteer, or staff member within a faith-based organization. This can involve priests, pastors, youth group leaders, deacons, Sunday school teachers, or anyone in a position of spiritual authority.
The abuse may include physical contact, but it can also involve grooming, a process where an abuser slowly builds trust and emotional dependence before escalating to abuse. Recognizing that pattern is often the first step toward understanding what happened.
What makes clergy abuse so devastating is the power dynamic at its core. Religious leaders hold deep moral and spiritual authority, and for a child, a trusted pastor or youth minister may seem to speak for God. When that trust is violated, the harm reaches far beyond the physical, leaving shame, self-blame, and a crisis of faith that can last for years.
In some cases across Fort Lauderdale and Broward County, institutions have known about abusive behavior and chosen to conceal it. Under Florida law, these failures can form the basis for civil liability because organizations that fail to protect the people in their care can be held accountable for the resulting harm.
How Do Religious Institutions Enable Abuse?
Religious institutions enable abuse when they place their reputation above the safety of their members, often through patterns that allow harm to continue unchecked. One of the hardest truths for many survivors is learning that the abuse was made possible by an institution that looked the other way.
Common institutional failures include:
- Dismissing or ignoring complaints when abuse is first reported.
- Reassigning accused clergy to new congregations instead of removing them, which can give them access to new targets.
- Failing to conduct meaningful background checks on clergy, volunteers, and staff who work closely with children.
- Using spiritual authority to discourage survivors from contacting law enforcement.
- Concealing or destroying records related to complaints of misconduct.
These failures are not limited to any single denomination, and similar patterns have surfaced in Catholic, Protestant, evangelical, and non-denominational organizations alike. When an institution shields itself instead of protecting its members, it shares responsibility for the harm that follows, and our role is to help hold it accountable.
Florida Laws Protecting Survivors of Clergy Sexual Abuse
Florida has enacted some of the strongest survivor protection laws in the country, and understanding them can reveal the legal paths open to you. The right pathway depends on your age at the time of the abuse, and on the circumstances of your case.
The most significant protection applies to survivors who were under 16 when the abuse occurred. Under Florida Statute § 95.11(10), these survivors can file a civil lawsuit at any time, with no deadline and no expiration. However, the statute does not revive claims that were already time-barred on or before July 1, 2010.
For survivors who were 16 or older at the time, Florida offers several alternative filing pathways that account for the realities of trauma and delayed disclosure:
- Filing before age 25, which gives young adult survivors more time to process what happened.
- Filing within four years after leaving the abuser’s control, which often matters in clergy cases where spiritual authority keeps survivors silent.
- Filing within four years after connecting the abuse to the injury it caused, since many survivors do not make that link until much later.
Each pathway reflects a simple truth: delayed disclosure is a normal response to trauma, and the law makes room for it.
Florida also requires all individuals, including clergy and church staff, to report known or suspected child abuse under Florida Statute § 39.201, and you can reach the Florida Abuse Hotline at any hour. Churches can also face civil claims for negligent hiring, supervision, or retention when they fail to vet, monitor, or remove someone who posed a danger.
What Are the Warning Signs of Clergy Sexual Abuse?
The warning signs of clergy sexual abuse can be subtle because abusers in religious settings often use their authority to mask their behavior. Still, certain emotional and behavioral changes can signal that something is wrong.
In children and teenagers, signs may include a sudden reluctance to attend church or religious activities, withdrawal from family and friends, unexplained fear around certain adults, age-inappropriate sexual knowledge, or changes in sleep and school performance. A child who once loved the youth group and now wants nothing to do with it may be telling you something important.
In adults, the effects of recent or past abuse can surface as depression, difficulty in relationships, substance use, chronic shame, and a deep sense of spiritual betrayal. Many adult survivors across South Florida carry these effects quietly for years, sometimes without connecting them to the abuse itself.
If you notice these signs in yourself or someone you care about, approach the moment with patience and compassion. Survivors who are believed and supported are far more likely to begin healing and to explore their legal options when they feel ready. Confidential support is also available around the clock through national resources such as RAINN.
What Can You Expect When Pursuing a Civil Clergy Abuse Claim?
When you pursue a civil clergy abuse claim, you can expect a process focused on accountability and compensation, with your privacy protected at every step. A civil claim differs from a criminal case because it seeks financial recovery for the harm you suffered, and the burden of proof is lower than in criminal court.
The process usually begins with a confidential, free consultation. During that conversation, an attorney listens to your experience, answers your questions, and helps you understand whether you may have a viable claim.
From there, our legal team investigates the facts, gathering institutional records, witness testimony, and communications that may show what the church knew, and when. Throughout, we treat your privacy with the highest level of care, and we work to protect your identity to the fullest extent the law allows.
Compensation in these cases is never about money for its own sake. It is about justice, and about securing the resources you need to heal, which can include counseling and medical care, recovery for emotional pain, and accountability that helps protect others from similar harm.
The Importance of Coming Forward
Every survivor who comes forward makes a difference, both for themselves and for others who may still be suffering in silence. Speaking up is a deeply personal decision, and there is no wrong way to begin.
Fort Lauderdale is home to a vibrant community of faith, from the historic churches near Las Olas Boulevard to congregations across Broward County. The vast majority of religious leaders serve with genuine care, and holding the few who cause harm accountable helps protect everyone.
Coming forward also sends a clear message that abuse will not be tolerated, and that cover-ups will not go unchallenged. Civil litigation has been one of the most effective tools for forcing transparency and for creating records that protect future generations.
There is no single right time to speak up. Some survivors act soon after the abuse, while others wait years or decades, and what matters is that when you are ready, you have a team that treats your story with the respect it deserves. Horowitz Law serves clients throughout Fort Lauderdale and Broward County, and we are here whenever you decide the time is right.
FAQs Answered by Our Fort Lauderdale Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Below are answers to questions we hear most often from survivors and families considering a clergy abuse claim in South Florida.
How long do I have to file a clergy abuse lawsuit in Fort Lauderdale?
For survivors abused before age 16, Florida law removes the filing deadline entirely, so a claim can be brought at any time. For others, several time-based pathways may apply, and the only way to know which one fits your situation is to speak with an attorney who can review the specific facts of your case.
Can I hold a local diocese or church accountable even if leadership has changed?
Yes. A civil claim focuses on what the institution knew, and how it responded, not on who currently leads it. If a Fort Lauderdale or Broward County diocese, parish, or congregation enabled or concealed abuse, it can still be held responsible today, even when different people are now in charge.
Can I file a clergy abuse claim anonymously?
In many cases, yes. Survivors can often file under a pseudonym, such as Jane Doe or John Doe, to keep their identity out of the public record. We discuss every available privacy protection with you before taking any action, so you stay in control of how much is shared.
What does it cost to hire a Fort Lauderdale clergy abuse lawyer?
Nothing up front. We handle these cases on a contingency basis, which means you pay no fee unless we recover compensation for you, and your initial consultation is always free and confidential.
Will I have to face my abuser in court?
Most civil clergy abuse cases resolve without a survivor ever sitting across from the person who caused the harm. Many claims settle before trial, and even when a case does proceed, your legal team prepares and supports you, so you are never alone in the process.
Do I need to have reported the abuse to police to bring a civil claim?
No. A civil claim is separate from any criminal case, and you can pursue one even if the abuse was never reported to law enforcement. A prior report can serve as helpful evidence, but it is not required to seek accountability in civil court.
Speak Confidentially with a Fort Lauderdale Church Sexual Abuse Lawyer
If you or someone you love was affected by sexual abuse within a church or religious institution in Fort Lauderdale, the team at Horowitz Law is ready to listen, to believe you, and to fight for the accountability you deserve. Your initial consultation is completely confidential and free, and you will never owe a fee unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
You have already shown remarkable strength. Let us stand with you on the road ahead and help you pursue the justice and resources you need to heal. Call Horowitz Law today at 954-641-2100 to speak with a compassionate member of our team.