Barton Trial Attorneys
Clergy Sex Abuse Lawyer
You were failed by the organizations that were supposed to protect you. We’re here to help make it right.
If you are reading this, you may be carrying a secret you have never spoken aloud. In many instances of sexual misconduct, the abuse occurred at a place that was supposed to be safest of all: a church, a parish hall, a Scout troop, or another place of faith and trust. When abuse occurred, the institution looked away, protected its own reputation, and left you with the tragic consequences.
Bill Barton and the team at Barton Trial Attorneys have spent decades standing beside survivors of child sexual abuse. We are experienced sexual abuse lawyers who have successfully litigated against the Roman Catholic Church, the Vatican itself, and the Boy Scouts of America. If you or someone you love is ready to talk about their childhood sexual abuse, Bill, Brent and the caring team at Barton Trial Attorneys are by your side.
Speak with an Institutional Abuse Lawyer
We Wrote The Book on Institutional Abuse. Literally.
Our founder, Bill Barton, is the author of Recovering for Psychological Injuries. Now in its third edition, this title has become a popular guidebook for lawyers across the country. Psychological injuries can occur in many types of cases, but are common in cases involving institutional abuse cases where the victim is threatened and gaslighted to prevent them from coming forward.
Sexual abuse cases are both legally complex and emotionally demanding; years of shame and silence may pass before a survivor is ready to come forward. Childhood sexual abuse cases require an attorney who not only understands the courtroom, but also the deep, psychological injury that such cases leave behind.
Barton Trial Attorneys accepts only a small number of cases every year to ensure that each client receives our full attention. We are not mass-marketed personal injury lawyers chasing every case we can get. You will not see us on billboards or buses. You will see us looking after the needs of our small roster of clients, diligently, every day, until their cases are resolved.
Understanding Institutional Abuse
Most people think a sexual abuse claim only implicates the individual(s) who committed the harm. In cases of institutional sexual abuse, the organazions employing and overseeing the behavior of the perpetrator—churches, dioceses, religious orders, schools, youth organizations and so on—also face liability. Evidence often shows that organization administrators knew about the harm and did nothing, or quietly moved them somewhere else, where the abuse could continue.
Oregon law recognizes this, and offers protections for those injured through institutional abuse and neglect. Through our own trial work, we have helped establish the legal principle of “constructive knowledge:” the rule that an institution is legally responsible for an outcome when its employees or agents knew, or should have known, of a threat to children. The law no longer lets institutions get away with this—and neither do we.
Barton Trial Attorneys has tried or advised on cases involving churches, school, day cares, and youth service organizations; we believe that holding an organization accountable is what creates real change. It also makes meaningful compensation possible; victims receive resources to pay for therapy, medical bills, and the long road of healing.
Our Work Against Church Organizations
The Archdiocese of Portland: The Bankruptcy that Made History
Bill Barton represented a former altar boy in a case seeking $125 million in punitive damages against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland. The case was set to begin trial on July 6, 2004. Just before jury selection, the Archdiocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, becoming the first Catholic diocese in the United States to seek bankruptcy protection in response to clergy sexual abuse claims.
It was an extraordinary moment: rather than face a jury and answer for the extraordinary events that had happened to children in its care, an institution of enormous wealth chose to shield its assets in bankruptcy court. As Bill says, “It always seemed strange that an institution built on faith would file bankruptcy to avoid its moral and legal responsibilities.”
Nonetheless, the significance was undeniable: our firm’s willingness to take the Archdiocese, all the way to the courthouse steps, forced one of the most powerful religious institutions in the country to confront the scale of what it had allowed.
Our firm also represented one of only two ordained priests in history to come forward publicly with claims of sexual abuse against the Roman Catholic Church. We believe that no survivor’s story is too difficult to tell, and no institution is too powerful to face justice.
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Doe v. Oregon Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists: A $2 Million Verdict and Lasting Legal Precedent
In 2005, we secured a $2,000,000 verdict (the prayer, or maximum requested) in Marion County against the Oregon Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists. An assistant pastor’s son had abused a young girl in the church community. Church officials had long known of the boy’s dangerous interest in little girls and did nothing to protect the children in their care.
This case is now cited as authoritative in Oregon’s Uniform Civil Jury Instructions on constructive knowledge (UCJI 30.03). In plain terms, our successful trial work helped write the rule that keeps churches and other institutions from turning a blind eye or a deaf ear to threats against children. When we win a case like this, the protection extends to every child who comes after.
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John V. Doe v. Holy See: Taking the Vatican to court
Perhaps our most far-reaching church case was brought against the Vatican itself. Our client sued the Vatican (also called the “Holy See”) for sexual abuse committed by a priest against a minor in Oregon. A federal judge ruled this a valid claim under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. The decision was reviewed and approved by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals; the United States Supreme Court later declined to hear a further appeal.
After thirteen years of hard-fought litigation, the case settled for a confidential sum. It stands as one of the most significant efforts in American history to hold the Vatican answerable in a U.S. court for the abuse of a child. It also reflects a truth we live by: the statute of limitation and jurisdictional defenses that institutions hide behind can, and should, be overcome by lawyers fighting for victims of institutional sexual abuse.
Every one of these cases began with a single anonymous survivor who found the courage to make one phone call. If you are ready, we are here to listen. Call Barton Trial Attorneys for a free case evaluation.
Our Work Against The Boy Scouts of America
Churches are not the only trusted institutions that failed the children in their care. Youth organizations, including the Boy Scouts of America, have their own long and painful history of childhood sexual abuse.
Wilson v. Tobiassen, Oregon Trail Council, Inc. and Boy Scouts of America, Inc. obtained the first verdict in America for sexual abuse against the Boy Scouts of America: a $3.7 million composite verdict against both the Scoutmaster and the corporate defendant. This landmark result, filed on behalf of a boy who had been abused by his Scoutmaster in Benton County, came years before the national reckoning that has since seen more than 82,000 claims filed against the organization.
Our early work in this arena also helped drive change in the law itself. Our pioneering work indirectly led to a legislative amendment, extending the statute of limitations for survivors bringing similar claims. In practice, this gives injured people the time it takes to come forward when they are finally ready. Many sexual abuse survivors do not feel able to speak for years or even decades; laws that recognize this reality are essential, and we are proud to have helped shape them.
If you were abused within Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America) or related Scouting program, know that you are not alone. You may still have legal options, even if the abuse occurred years ago. Please reach out to us for a free, confidential consultation.
Why Institutional Sexual Abuse Survivors Choose Barton Trial Attorneys
Moving forward after sexual abuse is never easy—but taking legal action against the church, a diocese, or national organization that allowed it may seem impossible. Survivors often worry that they will not be believed, that they waited too long, or that an institution is simply too powerful to challenge. We understand those fears, and we have spent our careers proving them wrong.
When you work with us, you get a sexual abuse attorney who has actually tried these cases to verdict against the largest institutions in the country. We handle the legal complexity so you can focus on healing, and we take these cases on a contingency basis, which means you pay nothing unless we recover for you.
Compensation cannot undo what was done. But it can pay for the counseling and medical bills that so many survivors need, replace lost income, and force an institution to acknowledge what it allowed to happen. For many of our clients, the most meaningful outcome is knowing that by coming forward, they may have protected another child.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of sexual abuse cases do you take?
Barton Trial Attorneys is proud to accept cases from many types of situations. These include:
- Sexual abuse by an Uber/Lyft driver
- Sexual abuse by a therapist
- Sexual abuse by a physician or medical professional
- Sexual abuse by attorneys
- Sexual abuse involving the Scouting America or similar institutions
- Sexual abuse within the Catholic Church
- Sexual abuse at schools
- Sexual abuse in private residences while under the care of trusted adults
Is it too late for me to file a lawsuit?
Oregon law has expanded the time survivors have to bring sexual abuse claims, so you may still be able to bring a case even if years, or even decades, have passed. Even if the abuse occurred many years ago, we strongly encourage you to speak with us before assuming your case is barred. The rules around the statute of limitation are complex and often more favorable to survivors than people realize.
Will my story stay private?
Yes. Every conversation with Barton Trial Attorneys is confidential. Many of our cases, including our case against the Vatican, we have resolved on confidential terms that protect our clients’ privacy. Whether you are a recent survivor of childhood abuse or someone who has carried this burden for decades, your story will always be treated with discretion and respect.
What does it cost me to talk to a sex abuse lawyer?
We offer a free consultation and a free case evaluation to every person who reaches out. As with all cases we take, you will never owe us a fee unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
Do you only take cases against churches?
No. While we have deep experience with clergy abuse, we represent victims of sexual abuse harmed within many kinds of institutions: doctors, mental health professionals, schools, day cares, and youth programs. If a trusted organization failed to protect you or your child, we want to hear from you.
Are You a Sexual Abuse Survivor? Barton is By Your Side.
If you are a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, or the parent of a child who was harmed, you deserve clear answers—and decisive action. As a clergy sexual abuse lawyer with a national track record against the Catholic Church, the Vatican, and the Boy Scouts of America, we are ready to stand with you, whenever you are ready.
Call Barton Trial Attorneys for a free, confidential consultation. Our caring, experienced legal team is ready to listen.