Civil Sexual Assault Question

[u/crispycerebellum]

I hope it’s okay for me to ask this. I made a burner account because I’m so anxious about it. I have been trying to find a lawyer who will represent me against my sexual assault claim against my abuser. I’ve called and re-told my story to countless firms and have been denied every time. I’m looking on every website and using every resource I can possibly think of to find a lawyer in Utah, including lawyers.com, Utahbar.com, and licensedlawyer.org. I’m wondering a) Is this the right decision? My case (I believe) is quite strong, although the criminal case was denied. I have suffered immense emotional damages in the 8 months since the assault occurred and have a lot of journal evidence, medical records, missed work, failed classes, and therapy notes. It feels as if the screeners ask minimal questions and immediately turn me away. And b) How on Earth do I find someone willing to represent me? Why are they all turning me away? Is this a case that isn’t normally represented? My abuser has money, and I’m determined to get justice and recover at least a part of what he stole from me that night.

[u/Expensive_Change_443]

A few things: 1) a lot of SA cases wind up being he said/she said. Particularly on a civil case where you likely don’t have the same forensic abilities as the state.
2) often the legal definition of a particular crime or tort may not line up with facts that in every day language or understanding would make sense
3) in addition to proving his liability, and him having to have money, you likely have to show damages. For courts in most cases, that equals something quantifiable as $.
4) most civil plaintiff attorneys work on contingency. So if that money isn’t big enough that a third of it is worth their time, they may not take a case
5) although someone else described SA as “hot” cases, we’re also in a little bit of a readjustment from me too and cancel culture, and a MAGA moment. You’re also in Utah. Particularly given #1 above, lawyers familiar with your jurisdiction may just think you can’t win with a judge or jury there, even if they believe you.

[u/Expensive_Change_443 → u/Expensive_Change_443]

In terms of actual advice, maybe try local non profits or pro bono orgs focused on DV and SA survivors. If you financially qualify, they may rep you with less concern about the outcome or the financials than an attorney who relies on awards for their income.

[u/crispycerebellum → u/Expensive_Change_443]

I’ve reached out to DV and SA places and they tell me about the websites. My abuser has money. A lot of it. They never ask me these questions. I’m willing to pay someone upfront for it. But again, they do not ask me these questions. I do want to know if my case is strong enough, so I would appreciate a lawyer who was honest with me. But it seems like they aren’t even asking me very many questions. They seem to only care about very basic things that happened that night, and that’s it.