Can Interlochen survivors still file a civil lawsuit in Michigan?

It depends on the facts of each case. Under current Michigan law, survivors of childhood sexual abuse generally have until their 28th birthday, or 3 years after discovering the injury caused by the abuse, to file a civil claim. Michigan lawmakers are actively considering the Justice for Survivors legislative package, which passed the Michigan Senate on May 20, 2025 and would extend these deadlines and open a 1 year revival window for previously expired claims. Because the law is changing, survivors should have an attorney evaluate their specific deadline now, even if the abuse happened decades ago.

Does it cost anything to talk to a lawyer about an Interlochen abuse claim?

No. Our consultations are free and confidential, and we handle sexual abuse cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.

Can I bring a claim if my abuser is deceased or was never named publicly?

Possibly. Civil claims can be brought against institutions that failed to protect students, not only against individual abusers. More than one third of the 47 individuals identified in the Interlochen report are deceased, and most were not publicly named, but that does not automatically prevent a civil claim against the institution. An attorney can evaluate your options in a confidential consultation.

Will my identity stay private if I come forward?

Everything you share with our firm is protected by attorney client privilege. In many Michigan sexual abuse cases, survivors can also ask the court to proceed under a pseudonym such as Jane Doe or John Doe to protect their identity in public filings.

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Interlochen Center for the Arts · Independent Investigation Released July 2026

The Interlochen Report Confirmed What Survivors Have Carried for Decades. You Have Legal Rights.

An independent investigation released in July 2026 documented roughly 70 firsthand accounts of sexual abuse by adults affiliated with Interlochen Center for the Arts, spanning the 1950s through the 2010s. If you or someone you love was harmed at the Interlochen Arts Academy or Interlochen Arts Camp, our Michigan sexual assault attorneys will listen, answer your questions, and explain your options. Privately, at your pace, and at no cost.

Schedule A Free Consultation Call 855-542-0661

Free consultation. No fee unless we recover for you. Attorney client privilege applies from your first call.

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First page of the Interlochen Center for the Arts external investigation report, dated July 27, 2026

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What the Interlochen Investigation Found: The Facts

Interlochen Center for the Arts, the boarding arts high school and summer camp in Grand Traverse County, Michigan, retained Sanghavi Law Office, LLC in September 2024 to conduct an independent investigation into historical sexual abuse by faculty, staff, and other adults affiliated with the institution. The 97 page report, dated July 27, 2026 and released publicly in late July 2026, documented reports of abuse as shared by alumni. The investigators recorded these accounts without making findings of fact. Interlochen's president and board chair issued a public apology for the harm described in the report, and the institution has provided the names of accused individuals to the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office and Prosecuting Attorney's Office.

Download The Full 97 Page Report (PDF)

The report will download to your device. Please be aware that it contains detailed descriptions of sexual abuse.

70Firsthand accounts of physical sexual conduct reported by alumni

47Adults affiliated with Interlochen identified as accused individuals

180Interviews conducted between September 2024 and July 2026

7 DecadesReported conduct spanning the 1950s through the 2010s, most before 2000

A note before you read on

This page discusses sexual abuse. Please take care of yourself as you read — you can stop at any time.

800.656.4673 · 24/7 In crisis? National Sexual Assault Hotline

Reported Abuse Involved Adults in Nearly Every Role at Interlochen

According to the report, the adults accused of sexual misconduct were not confined to one department or one era. Alumni described conduct by arts faculty members, academic teachers, division directors, residence life staff, camp counselors, administrators, staff members, trustees, and donors. The reported conduct occurred in faculty homes, practice rooms and studios, dormitories, cars, campus bathrooms, on nearby lakes, and during school trips and travel.

The report also documented accounts involving Jeffrey Epstein, who was a donor to Interlochen from 1990 to 2003 and funded a lodge on campus. Two alumni reported to investigators that Epstein engaged in sexual conduct with them, and others described the largely unrestricted access that donors and other outside adults had to students on campus.

Survivors described lasting harm: to their mental and emotional health, their education, their careers in the arts, their relationships, and their connection to a place many of them loved. The investigators called the information gathered "simply, devastating." If any part of this reflects your experience, what happened to you mattered then, and it matters now.

Who May Have a Legal Claim

You may have a civil claim if you experienced sexual abuse, sexual assault, or sexual misconduct by an adult connected to Interlochen, whether at the Arts Academy, the Arts Camp, in faculty housing, on a school trip, or during travel arranged through your connection to the school. That includes people who:

Attended the Interlochen Arts Academy or Interlochen Arts Camp in any decade, from the 1950s through the 2010s
Experienced abuse by a faculty member, teacher, counselor, residence life staff member, administrator, trustee, donor, or visitor
Never reported the abuse at the time, or reported it and were dismissed, disbelieved, or disciplined
Participated in the Sanghavi investigation, or chose not to participate
Are family members of a survivor who has passed away (in certain circumstances)

Two things worth knowing. First, you do not need to have named your abuser in the report, and it does not matter that most accused individuals were not publicly identified. Second, civil claims are often brought against the institution itself, based on its failure to protect students, so a claim may still be possible even where an individual abuser is deceased. More than one third of the 47 accused individuals in the report have died.

Find Out If You Have A Claim

What a Civil Claim Can Accomplish

A civil lawsuit is separate from any criminal case, and it belongs to you, not to a prosecutor. It cannot undo what happened. What it can do is hold accountable the people and the institution that allowed the abuse, and provide compensation for the harm you have carried, which may include:

Therapy, counseling, and other past and future mental health treatment
Pain and suffering and emotional distress
Lost education, career, and earning opportunities
Other economic and personal losses caused by the abuse

Many survivors quoted in the report said they came forward hoping for acknowledgment, accountability, and change so that current students are safer. A civil claim is one of the few tools that has consistently produced all 3.

What Happens When You Contact Us

We know that picking up the phone may be the hardest step. Here is exactly what to expect, so there are no surprises.

Step 1

A private conversation

You speak confidentially with our team. You share only what you are comfortable sharing, and you can stop at any time. Attorney client privilege protects the conversation.

Step 2

An honest evaluation

We assess your potential claim, including the filing deadlines that apply to your specific facts, and we give you a straight answer about your options.

Step 3

Your decision

Whether and when to move forward is entirely your choice. We never pressure survivors, and talking to us commits you to nothing.

Step 4

We carry the case

If you choose to proceed, we handle the investigation, filings, and negotiations, and we can seek to protect your identity in court records. You pay nothing unless we recover for you.

Michigan Lawyers Who Put Survivors First

We are a Michigan law firm, and this case is a Michigan case. The abuse described in the report happened in Grand Traverse County. The applicable law is Michigan law, the pending legislation is in the Michigan Legislature, and the law enforcement review is being conducted by Michigan authorities. We know these courts, we follow this legislation daily, and we are here, in this state, for the duration.

Our approach in every sexual abuse case is built on 3 commitments: your privacy is protected, your pace sets the schedule, and your goals define what success means. We handle these cases on contingency because survivors should never have to weigh justice against a legal bill.

Interlochen Abuse Claims: Questions Survivors Are Asking

What did the 2026 Interlochen investigation report find?

The 97 page report by Sanghavi Law Office, dated July 27, 2026, documented approximately 70 firsthand accounts of physical sexual conduct by 47 adults affiliated with Interlochen, based on roughly 180 interviews conducted between September 2024 and July 2026. The reported conduct spanned the 1950s through the 2010s, with most reports predating 2000, and involved faculty, staff, residence life employees, administrators, trustees, and donors, including Jeffrey Epstein. The investigators documented the accounts as reported and did not make findings of fact or rule on the sufficiency of Interlochen's responses.

The abuse happened decades ago. Is it too late to file a lawsuit?

Not necessarily, and this is exactly the question to ask a lawyer now rather than later. Current Michigan law generally gives survivors of childhood sexual abuse until age 28, or 3 years after discovering the injury, to file. Pending legislation that has already passed the Michigan Senate would open a 1 year revival window for expired claims and extend deadlines going forward. Deadlines also depend on your individual facts, including when you connected your injuries to the abuse. A free consultation is the only reliable way to know where you stand.

My abuser was never publicly named, or has died. Do I still have options?

Possibly. Civil claims are frequently brought against the institution for failing to protect students, not only against the individual abuser. The report itself shows why: alumni described sign out procedures that let adults take students to their homes overnight, reports to administrators that were minimized or ignored, and accused teachers who were permitted to resign with letters of recommendation. Those institutional facts can support a claim even when the individual is deceased or unnamed.

Will anyone find out I came forward?

Your consultation is confidential and protected by attorney client privilege. If a claim is filed, Michigan courts often permit survivors of sexual abuse to proceed under a pseudonym (Jane Doe or John Doe), and protective orders can limit disclosure of sensitive information. We will discuss privacy protections with you before anything is filed, and nothing becomes public without your informed decision.

I spoke with the Sanghavi investigators. Does that affect my legal claim?

Participating in the school's investigation does not waive your right to bring a civil claim, and choosing not to participate does not weaken it. The investigation was commissioned by Interlochen for its own purposes. A civil claim is yours alone. If you did participate, tell your attorney, because what you shared may be relevant to how we build and protect your case. The investigators have indicated they will continue receiving information, so participation may still be possible as well.

What does it cost to hire your firm?

Nothing up front, ever. The consultation is free, and we handle sexual abuse cases on a contingency fee, which means our fee comes only from a recovery we obtain for you. If there is no recovery, you owe us no fee.

Is this the same as the criminal investigation?

No. Interlochen has stated that it provided the names of accused individuals to the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office and Prosecuting Attorney's Office for review. Any criminal case would be brought by prosecutors and is separate from your civil rights. You can pursue a civil claim whether or not criminal charges are ever filed, and we can also help you understand how to share information with law enforcement if you choose to.

Support Resources for Interlochen Survivors

Whether or not you ever contact a lawyer, these resources exist for you:

National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 800.656.4673, available 24/7, or chat online at rainn.org. Free and confidential.

Sanghavi Law Office (independent investigators): The investigative team has stated it will continue to receive information from alumni. Interlochen has publicized contact information for the investigators for those who wish to share their experience with the investigation.

Michigan Sexual Assault Hotline (VOICES4MI): 855.864.2374, available 24/7 for Michigan survivors.

The full investigation report: The complete 97 page report, dated July 27, 2026, is available as a downloadable PDF, and the school's community letters are posted on Interlochen's External Investigation page. A content warning applies: the report describes abuse in detail.

Contacting a support resource is not the same as preserving your legal rights, and reporting to the school or its investigators does not start or protect a legal claim. Only a timely filed civil action does that.

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