If you were sexually abused in Aurora, it is very often not too late to explore a civil claim. That holds whether the abuse happened recently or decades ago. You do not need to have gone to the police, and nobody needs to have been convicted.
A claim turns on how old you were at the time, who was responsible, and the facts of what happened. It does not turn on whether anyone believed you back then. These claims are usually brought against the institution that failed to protect you. Asking about your options costs nothing and does not commit you to anything.
Ervin Nevitt, a partner at Coplan + Crane, reviews these cases. He holds Illinois bar registration 6319808 and was admitted in 2014.
One city, four counties
Aurora stretches across Kane, DuPage, Will, and Kendall counties. Most civil claims are filed in the circuit court of the county where the abuse took place. Claims against the State of Illinois are handled separately, in the Illinois Court of Claims.
Two dioceses serve Aurora
The Kane County portion of Aurora falls under the Diocese of Rockford. The Illinois Attorney General's 2023 report named 24 clerics there with substantiated child sexual abuse claims. The DuPage, Will, and Kendall County portions fall under the Diocese of Joliet, where the same report named 69.
Six school districts, six possible defendants
Aurora is served by six separate school districts. East Aurora District 131 is the largest, with about 12,000 students across 22 sites, making it the 13th largest district in Illinois. West Aurora District 129 and Indian Prairie District 204 also serve the city, along with three others. The district a school belongs to decides who the defendant is.
When the responsible party is a school district, a county, or the state, the Illinois Tort Immunity Act becomes part of the analysis. These claims can also carry notice requirements that do not apply to a private organization. That is the first thing to check, and it is easy to get wrong.
Support in Aurora
Help is available whether or not you ever call a lawyer. Mutual Ground in Aurora runs a 24-hour sexual violence hotline at 630-897-8383. RAINN is also available at 1-800-656-4673, free and confidential, 24 hours a day.
Common Questions Around Aurora Sexual Abuse Claims
Does it matter that it happened a long time ago? It matters, but not the way most people think. Your age at the time, who was responsible, and the specific facts are what govern it. People often assume they are out of time and turn out not to be.
The person who abused me has died. Is there still a case? A claim can still go forward. These cases are usually brought against the institution that put that person in a position of trust, not against the individual.
Do I have to decide anything today? No. You can ask what is possible and stop there.
What happens when you reach out
A question sets nothing in motion. You speak with a person, not a form or intake script, and you do not have to describe what happened. We look into which institution was responsible, what it knew, what records exist, and whether a claim can still be brought. That work costs you nothing.
We then tell you plainly what is possible. If you decide not to go ahead, that is the end of it, and what you told us stays confidential. If you go ahead, we handle the filings, deadlines, records, and the institution's insurers. Steps can be taken to protect your identity in the court record.
Call (708) 671-6858 for a free, confidential case review.
