Utah State Judge Awards $ 16,000,000 To Woman Forced Into "Spiritual Marriage" At Age Of Fourteen
In 2001, when M.J. was a fourteen year old girl, she was forced into a "spiritual marriage" with a man several years her senior. The marriage was performed by Warren Jeffs, who was President of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
In December of 2005, M.J. filed an action in the Utah District Court for Washington County against the following: Warren Jeffs, The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, f/k/a The Work or The Priesthood Work and a/k/a The Corporation of the President of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; The Corporation of the Presiding Bishop of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; The United Effort Plan Trust; and Does 1 Through 20. M.J. alleged that she suffered catastrophic emotional damage from the underage marriage and the underage rapes associated with it. The action was transferred to the Utah District Court for Salt Lake County on Nov. 21, 2007.
In 2016, M.J. reached a $2.75 million settlement with the Trust, but Jeffs and the Church never filed an answer or appeared in the action in any way. On Sept. 5, 2017, Judge Keith A. Kelly entered default judgment in favor of M.J., then known by her full name Elissa Wall. Judge Kelly awarded her a total of $ 16,000,000.00, including $ 4,000,000.00 in general damages and $ 12,000,000.00 in punitive damages.
Plaintiff was represented by Michael A. Worel, Alan W. Mortensen, and Lance L. Milne of Dewsnup King Olsen Worel.
Lexis Advance Subscribers may view the summary here: M.J. a/k/a Elissa Wall v. Warren Jeffs; The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, f/k/a The Work or The Priesthood Work and a/k/a The Corporation of the President of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; The Corporation of the Presiding Bishop of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; The United Effort Plan Trust; and Does 1 Through 20; 2017 Jury Verdicts LEXIS 11782
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