Havre Sexual Abuse Lawyer | Confidential Survivor Claims

Havre, MontanaHavre Sexual Abuse

Havre Sexual Abuse Lawyers: Childhood Sexual Abuse, Institutional Abuse and Survivor Claims in Hill County and the Hi-Line

Boland Aarab PLLP.

In a small community like Havre, the person who caused the harm is often someone everyone knows. That can make it very hard to come forward. You can talk with us confidentially and decide later whether to do anything. Montana generally allows a survivor of childhood sexual abuse to file a civil claim before age 27, or within 3 years of discovering the injury the abuse caused. The same deadlines apply to institutions that let the abuse happen.

When you are ready, the first conversation is confidential. Contact Boland Aarab PLLP for a free consultation at (406) 315-3737.

Why is coming forward different on the Hi-Line?

In Havre and the small towns along US-2, the abuser may be a coach, teacher, relative, church volunteer, employer or neighbor who is well known in the community. Survivors often worry about being recognized at the courthouse, about their family’s standing, and about whether anyone will believe them. Those are real concerns, and we take them seriously.

Here is what we can say:

A civil case is separate from a criminal case. You don’t need a police report, a prosecution or a conviction to talk with us or to bring a civil claim.
You decide what happens. A consultation creates no obligation to file anything.
Institutions can be responsible. Schools, churches, youth organizations, employers, medical providers and other institutions may be liable if their employees, volunteers or agents negligently allowed the abuse. Institutions carry insurance, and they have duties to supervise, screen and respond to reports.
Privacy steps are available. We discuss with each client how to protect their privacy during a case.

Who takes reports in Havre and Hill County?

If a child is in danger now, call 911.

Child abuse and neglect: Montana DPHHS Centralized Intake, 1-866-820-5437, 24 hours a day (DPHHS).
Law enforcement: the Havre Police Department inside the city limits, and the Hill County Sheriff’s Office in the rest of the county. In Blaine, Liberty, Toole and Phillips Counties, contact that county’s sheriff.
On a reservation: Rocky Boy’s Reservation (Chippewa Cree Tribe) and the Fort Belknap Reservation (Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes) have their own law enforcement. Depending on who was involved, federal authorities may also investigate. A civil claim from abuse on a reservation raises questions about which court can hear it: tribal, state or federal. When the abuser was a federal employee, or worked for a program covered by federal law, the claim may be against the United States under the Federal Tort Claims Act. These questions should be reviewed early, with respect for tribal sovereignty.
At a college: Montana State University–Northern, like other colleges, has Title IX procedures for reporting sexual misconduct. A school’s response to a report can be a key issue in a civil case.

What happens after you contact us?

We listen. If you want to go forward, we gather records quietly. That can include school, church, employment or medical records, prior complaints, and what the institution knew. We identify every person and organization that may be responsible, and we explain the deadlines that apply to you.

Where a case is filed. A civil claim involving abuse in Hill County is generally filed in the Twelfth Judicial District Court at the Hill County Courthouse, 315 4th Street, Havre (§ 3-5-101, MCA). Claims against national organizations, and federal claims, may be heard in the Great Falls Division of the U.S. District Court (D. Mont. L.R. 1.2(c)(3)).

Montana law that applies

See our Montana sexual abuse lawyer page for more. In short:

Childhood sexual abuse: a claim can generally be filed before the survivor turns 27, or within 3 years of when the survivor discovered, or reasonably should have discovered, that an injury was caused by the abuse (§ 27-2-216, MCA).
Institutions: the same deadlines apply to claims against institutions whose employees, volunteers or agents negligently allowed the abuse.
Adult survivors: different deadlines may apply to abuse that happened in adulthood. Ask us about your situation.
Federal claims: an FTCA claim must be presented in writing to the agency within 2 years (28 U.S.C. § 2401(b)).

Why hire a Great Falls firm for a Havre case?

Some survivors prefer a lawyer who is not part of their own small town, and our office is in Great Falls. We handle cases statewide. We can meet you in Havre, in Great Falls, or somewhere private that you choose, and we travel for depositions, hearings and trial. We do not have a Havre office.

The Boland Aarab Way

You work with the lawyers. Caitlin Boland Aarab and Samir Aarab handle survivors’ cases personally and confidentially.
We hold institutions accountable. Our work includes a $550,000 civil-rights and wrongful-death settlement against a Montana county (Estate of Alexander v. Cascade County).
We know federal court. Our attorneys have handled more than 40 cases in the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana over nine years.
We try cases. Our attorneys have spent more than 4,000 hours in the courtroom.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will people in Havre find out I called a lawyer? Not from us. Your consultation is confidential. If you decide to file, we will talk with you about the privacy protections available before anything is filed.

The abuse happened at a Hi-Line school or church decades ago. Is it too late? Maybe not. Montana’s deadline for childhood sexual abuse runs until age 27, or 3 years from when you discovered the injury the abuse caused. The same deadlines apply to institutions.

Do I have to report to the police first? No. A civil claim doesn’t require a police report or a criminal case. You can report whenever you choose, and we can help you think it through.

The abuse happened on the reservation. Which court would hear my case? It depends on who the abuser and the institution were, and where the abuse happened. Tribal, state and federal courts may each have a role. Some claims involving federal programs must be presented to the United States within 2 years.

What does a civil case accomplish? It can pay for counseling and other losses. It can hold an institution accountable, and it can uncover what the institution knew. Many survivors also say it gave them a voice.

Contact Boland Aarab PLLP for a free consultation at (406) 315-3737.

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.