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Hello, I'm Jennifer, your dedicated sexual abuse lawyer in Boca Raton, FL. I am committed to pursuing justice for survivors of sexual assault throughout Florida. My goal is to provide much-needed support to victims of sexual abuse crimes, ensuring their voices are heard and their rights protected as we seek the justice they deserve. I look forward to standing with you on your path towards healing and justice.
Jennifer Lipinski is a dedicated clergy sexual assault lawyer serving survivors across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. She combines deep legal knowledge, survivor-centered advocacy, and practical experience holding religious institutions and individual clergy accountable.
If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse by a member of the clergy, you have legal rights and options. Jennifer Lipinski can explain those rights, preserve evidence, and pursue justice.
Sexual Abuse Lawyer
601 Heritage Dr Ste 210,
Jupiter, FL 33458
VVQV+QP Jupiter, Florida
Clergy sexual assault occurs when a member of the clergy—priests, pastors, ministers, rabbis, imams, deacons, spiritual counselors, or other religious leaders—uses their position to engage in sexual misconduct, abuse, or assault. This includes unwanted touching, sexual contact, rape, grooming, coercion, exploitation, and sexual relationships that arise from unequal power. Clergy sexual assault can be criminal and civil wrongs.
Responsibility may attach to the individual clergyperson as the direct wrongdoer and may extend to the employing church, religious organization, diocese, religious order, faith-based school, or camp that knew or should have known about risk and failed to prevent harm. Vicarious liability, negligent hiring, negligent supervision, negligent retention, intentional tort theories, and breaches of fiduciary duty are common legal pathways to hold institutions accountable when institutional structures, policies, or concealment contribute to abuse.
Survivors working with a clergy sexual assault lawyer may pursue personal injury claims for assault, battery, and emotional distress while asserting negligence-based claims against organizations that retained or supervised the abuser. Claims often seek compensatory damages for medical care, therapy, and lost earnings and may include punitive damages when conduct is particularly egregious. Civil claims operate separately from criminal investigations; pursuing a civil case does not prevent criminal charges, and information developed in civil litigation can support criminal prosecutions.
Florida law sets time limits for filing civil claims related to sexual assault, and these deadlines can change based on the victim’s age at the time of abuse and legislative developments. Survivors who were minors when the abuse occurred may have extended filing periods or special statutory windows. Early consultation with counsel preserves rights, helps secure evidence, and enables assessment of tolling doctrines or recently enacted legislative exceptions that may affect a particular claim.
A careful investigation assembles police and medical records, relevant therapy notes where appropriate and permitted, and any criminal case materials. Counsel seeks internal institutional documents, personnel files, complaint logs, and insurance information through discovery and may interview witnesses and other survivors. Litigation tools such as subpoenas are used when institutions resist disclosure. Mental health and forensic experts are often consulted to document harm and prove causation.
Trauma-informed practices guide confidential, survivor-centered representation. Lawyers explain the limits of confidentiality, mandatory reporting duties, and strategies to minimize retraumatization. When possible, filings may be limited or sealed to protect privacy, and survivors retain control over key decisions such as whether to settle or proceed to trial.
Clergy sexual assault cases involve unique factual and legal issues, including institutional hierarchies, denominational rules, insurance defenses, and historical cover-ups. Experienced counsel knows how to identify patterns, obtain church records, and litigate against organizations with significant resources. Effective representation combines legal strategy with connections to counseling services, advocacy organizations, and expert witnesses to support full recovery and accountability. Attorney Jennifer Lipinski brings experience representing survivors in South Florida and works with a team to coordinate civil claims, criminal referrals, and supportive resources.
Representation is focused across Miami-Dade County, Broward County, and Palm Beach County, with local knowledge of Florida courts, state law, and regional denominational structures helping to build stronger claims and responses.
Survivors can begin with a confidential, no-obligation consultation to review facts, evaluate deadlines, and discuss legal options. Bringing any records available—dates, names, communications, medical reports, or notes—helps counsel assess the claim. Prompt action preserves evidence and may enable immediate protective measures, compensation opportunities, and steps toward accountability.
Can I sue a church for sexual abuse by a clergy member?
Yes. A civil claim can proceed against the abuser and, where the facts support it, against the church or institution that knew or should have known about the risk and failed to act.
Will filing a civil case force criminal charges?
Filing a civil case does not initiate criminal prosecution, but information from civil litigation can be shared with law enforcement and may prompt or support criminal charges.
How long does a case take?
Timelines vary; investigations, discovery, potential settlement negotiations, and court scheduling all affect duration.
Do I have to testify publicly?
Many cases resolve without a public trial, yet testimony may be required if the matter proceeds to court; counsel prepares survivors and pursues protective options when feasible.
Local victim advocacy organizations and trauma-informed therapists provide crisis response and long-term support. Counsel can provide referrals to support groups, mental health providers, and survivor networks to supplement legal work.
If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse by a member of the clergy in South Florida, reach out for a confidential consultation to learn your legal options and next steps. Early legal advice helps preserve claims, protect evidence, and advance paths to recovery and accountability.
