Butte, MontanaButte Sexual Abuse
Butte Sexual Abuse Lawyers: Civil Claims for Survivors of Childhood and Institutional Abuse in Butte-Silver Bow
Boland Aarab PLLP.
You are in control of this conversation. Read at your own pace and reach out only when you are ready. If you are in crisis, call or text 988. In Butte, Safe Space offers 24-hour help for survivors of sexual and domestic violence at (406) 782-8511. If you are in danger, call 911.
A survivor of sexual abuse in Butte can bring a civil claim for damages against the abuser and, often, against an institution that failed to protect them. Survivors of childhood abuse generally have until age 27, or three years after discovering the injury was caused by the abuse, to file. Your first conversation with us is confidential.
When you are ready, we are here to listen. Contact Boland Aarab PLLP for a free consultation at (406) 315-3737.
Butte is a close-knit place. Many families have been here for generations, and schools, parishes, youth sports, clubs and employers are woven together. That is one of the city’s strengths. It can also make it harder for a survivor to come forward, especially when the person who caused harm is well known, or when the institution involved is one the whole community relies on.
We understand those concerns, and we talk them through before anything is filed. A few things are worth knowing:
- You decide. Talking with a lawyer does not commit you to anything. Nothing is filed without your decision.
- A civil case is separate from a criminal case. You do not need a police report, a prosecution or a conviction to talk with us or to bring a civil claim.
- Institutions can be held responsible. When a school, church, youth program, camp, team, employer or other organization knew or should have known of the danger and failed to act, it may be liable, and the same deadlines generally apply to those claims.
- Privacy matters. Lawsuits are public, but there are ways to protect a survivor’s privacy in how a case is brought and handled. We discuss those options with you at the start.
What help is available in Butte?
You do not have to choose between getting support and exploring a legal claim. You can do both.
- Safe Space, a Butte nonprofit that has served survivors of domestic and sexual violence for more than 30 years, offers a 24-hour crisis line, advocacy, emergency shelter, counseling and legal advocacy. It also has a satellite office in Deer Lodge. (406) 782-8511.
- Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement Department, the consolidated city-county agency, takes criminal reports in Butte. Call 911 in an emergency.
- Montana’s Child Abuse Hotline, run by DPHHS Child and Family Services, takes reports of suspected child abuse 24 hours a day at 1-866-820-5437 (DPHHS).
- Medical care. St. James Healthcare in Butte provides emergency care. If you have been recently assaulted, a medical exam can protect your health and preserve evidence, whether or not you decide to report.
- National resources: the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and the National Sexual Assault Hotline, 800-656-4673.
What happens if you bring a civil case in Butte?
A private first conversation. We listen, answer your questions, and explain your options and the deadlines that apply. You share only what you are comfortable sharing.
Investigation. Before filing, we gather what we can: records from schools, organizations and employers; prior complaints; policies on supervision and reporting; and, with your permission, medical and counseling records.
The court. A civil case about abuse in Butte is usually filed in the Second Judicial District Court, the state district court for Silver Bow County (§ 3-5-101(2), MCA), at the Silver Bow County Courthouse, 155 West Granite Street. Some cases, such as those against a national organization or involving federal civil-rights claims, can be heard in the U.S. District Court, Butte Division, at the Mike Mansfield Federal Courthouse, 400 North Main Street (mtd.uscourts.gov). If a government entity such as a public school district or Butte-Silver Bow is involved, special written-notice rules apply (§ 2-9-301, MCA).
Resolution. Many cases resolve without a trial. We prepare every case as if it will be tried, because that preparation is what makes a fair resolution possible.
Montana law that applies
Only the essentials here. Our Montana sexual abuse lawyer page explains more.
- A survivor of childhood sexual abuse can generally file a civil claim before turning 27, or within 3 years of discovering, or when they reasonably should have discovered, that an injury was caused by the abuse (§ 27-2-216, MCA).
- The same deadlines apply to claims against institutions whose employees, volunteers or agents negligently allowed the abuse.
- Claims arising from abuse of an adult generally follow Montana’s ordinary injury deadlines, which can be shorter. Talk with a lawyer about your specific situation.
Why hire a Great Falls firm for a Butte case?
For some survivors, a firm from outside Butte is itself a comfort: less chance of running into your lawyer at the grocery store, and no ties to the local institutions involved. We are based in Great Falls and handle cases statewide. We can meet by phone or video, and our attorneys travel to Butte, or to a private location that works for you, for meetings, depositions, hearings and trial.
We do not keep a Butte office. The jury trials we have tried were in Cascade, Phillips, Meagher and Yellowstone Counties.
The Boland Aarab Way
- Confidential, unhurried conversations. You set the pace.
- Trial lawyers: more than 4,000 hours in the courtroom and more than a dozen jury trials.
- Experience holding institutions to account, including a $550,000 civil-rights and wrongful-death settlement against a county (Estate of Alexander v. Cascade County).
- Members of Public Justice (Samir Aarab), AAJ and MTLA, with Caitlin Boland Aarab on the MTLA Board.
We also handle catastrophic injury cases in Butte and nursing home abuse cases in Butte. See our Butte personal injury page.
Contact Boland Aarab PLLP for a free consultation at (406) 315-3737.
Frequently Asked Questions
The abuse happened in Butte decades ago. Is it too late? Not necessarily. Montana’s deadline for childhood abuse runs until age 27, or three years from when you discovered, or reasonably should have discovered, that your injury was caused by the abuse. We can review the dates with you confidentially.
Do I have to report to the Butte-Silver Bow police before talking to a lawyer? No. A civil claim does not require a police report or criminal case. Reporting is your choice, and we can explain how the two processes interact.
Can a Butte school, church or youth program be held responsible? Yes, if it knew or should have known of the risk and failed to protect you. Claims against public entities have extra notice requirements.
Will everyone in Butte find out if I file? Court filings are generally public, but there are ways to protect a survivor’s privacy. We talk through those options before anything is filed.
Where can I get support in Butte right now? Safe Space offers a 24-hour crisis line at (406) 782-8511. You can also call or text 988 at any time.
Our attorneys: Caitlin Boland Aarab · Samir F. Aarab
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.
