For over 70 years, juvenile detention facilities in California have gotten away with sweeping countless acts of sexual assault under the rug. But in recent years, serious reports of child abuse occurring in these centers have been increasingly coming to light—and today, thousands of survivors have filed lawsuits against California’s juvenile detention system for failing to protect them.
In 2020, California passed a law to shut down its last remaining state-run juvenile halls, and all three were permanently closed on July 1, 2023. However, this abuse is still widespread in many county-operated centers, such as the Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility in San Diego and dozens of others.
If you were abused by a correctional officer, counselor, or another staff member at a county-operated juvenile hall in California, you have the right to seek compensation for your injuries and trauma, even if you were detained many years ago.
How do I know if I have a case?
If all of the following eligibility guidelines apply to your case, you could potentially qualify to file a settlement claim.
(NOTE: If you were forced to perform sexual acts on another minor, this can also qualify.)
4. You were under 18 years old at the time of the abuse.
Do I still have time to file a claim?
A new law called the California Child Victims Act was passed in 2019, significantly extending the amount of time survivors have to file a claim before the eligibility window expires. Based on this new law, you’ll be able to file a claim EITHER until you turn 40 years old, or within 5 years of discovering any psychological trauma that developed because of the abuse.
NOTE: The eligibility window will expire depending on which event occurred LAST. For example, if you’re older than 40, you can still file a claim if you recently discovered that the abuse caused you psychological harm. And, if you discovered the psychological harm many years ago, you’ll be able to file a claim as long as you’re currently under 40.
Have there been any settlements for survivors?
In April 2025, Los Angeles County announced that it reached a $4 billion agreement to settle more than 6,800 sex abuse claims that took place in its juvenile halls. This was the first settlement for child sex abuse victims of its kind in the nation, with many claims dating back as far as the 1980s. Settlement funds are currently still being used to resolve ongoing Los Angeles County abuse claims.
As of October 2025, no other settlements for juvenile hall sex abuse claims have been announced. However, the recent LA County settlement has drawn much-needed attention to these cases across the country, and it’s possible that another major settlement could soon follow.
Will I have to file a police report or go to court?
Most likely, you won’t need to go to court at all. Very few cases do! But if your case is particularly complex or severe, then it may be necessary to hold a trial to help ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
You do NOT need to file a police report to join the lawsuit, but filing one anyway could help give law enforcement officials the evidence they need to press charges and bring your attacker to justice.
What damages are available for plaintiffs?
Similar to other sex abuse cases, you’ll be able to pursue three types of damages by filing a claim: non-economic, economic, and punitive.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages—also known as “general damages”—do not have a specific monetary value. Instead, they’re designed to compensate victims for intangible losses like emotional distress, permanent injuries, mental trauma, lost enjoyment of life, and other damages.
Economic Damages
Also known as “special damages,” economic damages are awarded to compensate survivors for any specific expenses they lost during and after the abuse occurred. This can include costs like medical bills, counseling, physical therapy, lost wages, property damage, or anything else that has a given value.
Punitive Damages
Unlike the other types, punitive damages are designed to punish the responsible party for malicious or intentionally negligent behavior, not necessarily to compensate the survivor. However, punitive damages are often worth far more than non-economic and economic damages; in rare cases, they can be worth millions of dollars.
Common examples of malicious behavior in a sex abuse case would include the attacker using a weapon, displaying excessive violence, or targeting the survivor on multiple occasions.
Join the California juvenile sex abuse lawsuit
If you or a close family member experienced sexual assault while detained at any county-operated juvenile hall in California, you may be entitled to significant compensation. Take our 60-second online evaluation to see if you may be eligible to receive a settlement for your injuries and trauma.