Las Vegas Judge Dismisses Negligence Claims in Church Abuse Lawsuit
A federal judge in Las Vegas has dismissed a woman's lawsuit alleging negligence by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints regarding a childhood sexual abuse claim by a priest. While the negligence claims were dismissed due to a…
Las Vegas, NV, October 23, 2026 —
A federal judge in Las Vegas dismissed negligence claims in a woman’s lawsuit against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints concerning her allegations of childhood sexual abuse by a priest. The judge also allowed the plaintiff to amend her suit to pursue a question about whether the church voluntarily assumed a duty to protect her.
The negligence claims were dismissed because the court found no recognized duty supporting them, according to the available description of the ruling. The summary does not provide the judge’s name, the date of the decision, or further details about the court’s reasoning.
The opportunity to amend leaves the plaintiff able to explore a separate legal theory: whether the church voluntarily took on a responsibility to protect her. The summary does not say what allegations or evidence might be included in an amended filing, whether one has been submitted, or what steps may follow.
The case concerns allegations of abuse during the woman’s childhood. The summary does not identify the priest, specify when or where the alleged abuse occurred, or describe the church’s response. It also does not provide the lawsuit’s filing date, the plaintiff’s name, or any information about claims beyond the negligence allegations and the issue the judge allowed her to explore.
The ruling, as described, therefore has two parts: dismissal of the negligence claims for lack of a recognized duty, and permission for the plaintiff to amend her suit to address possible voluntary assumption of a duty to protect her. No further outcome is provided.
Story summarized from the original created by Akiya Leggio on www.reviewjournal.com, see more information here.