Butte Juvenile Detention Sexual Abuse Attorney

Were you sexually abused while being detained at Butte County Juvenile Hall? If so, you have the right to seek justice in both the criminal and civil courts. A civil lawsuit for sexual abuse allows victims to recover a variety of monetary damages, including:

• Medical expenses for physical and/or psychological injuries
• Lost income opportunities / lost earning potential
• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Punitive damages

Butte Juvenile Detention Center is located at 42 County Center Drive, Oroville, CA 95965. The facility prides itself on providing youths with “rehabilitative, educational, nutritional, and mental health services.” According to their official website, the goal at Butte County Juvenile Hall is to “have all youth leave the hall better than they were.”

Unfortunately, we know that the opposite is true for minors who are sexually abused by a probation officer or another adult that’s supposed to protect them from harm. Child abuse – particularly sexual assault – is rampant at youth detention centers in the U.S., and Butte Juvenile Detention is no exception.

If you were subjected to sexual abuse at this facility, please take a moment to contact us. A lawyer who can sue Butte Juvenile Detention on your behalf is available to speak with you. During a free consultation, you can ask anything that’s on your mind and receive guidance on your available legal options.

Our Recent Verdicts and Settlements

The Toxic Culture of Sexual Abuse in California’s Juvenile Halls

In the last few years, hundreds of victims have come forward with harrowing stories of physical and sexual abuse at juvenile halls throughout the state. The Butte Juvenile Detention sexual abuse lawyers of Normandie have spoken to many of these survivors, who were groomed or outright forced into sexual acts by the employees and administrators.

Sadly, some of these children have no idea that they were sexually assaulted, as they were groomed into a sexual relationship with their abuser. This means that the abuser took their time to befriend the victim and gradually work up to sexual acts, like asking for naked photos or groping her breasts. This can be very confusing for the victim, who has an emotional bond with the abuser and does not want to get them in trouble. And if they weren’t held down and forced into doing something, then the victim is likely to assume that they were not assaulted.

As a result, most juveniles that are sexually abused at Butte Juvenile Detention don’t come forward until they are adults. At that point, they have a better understanding of the laws and know that any form of sexual contact between adults and minors (under 18 years old) is child sexual assault, and the adult is always to blame in these situations. Thankfully, California law provides ample time for adult survivors to file a sexual abuse lawsuit, which we will discuss in a later section.

For now, you are likely to have questions and concerns regarding your rights as a victim of child sexual abuse. That’s why we encourage you to contact our law firm and speak to a Butte Juvenile Detention sexual assault lawyer.

What is Child Sexual Abuse?

Essentially, any interaction between children and adults, which is for the purpose of sexual gratification to the adult, counts as child sexual abuse. This is due to the fact that children cannot consent to sexual activity, as their intellectual and emotional understanding of such matters is underdeveloped. Each state decides on what they consider to be the age of consent, and in California, that age is 18. Thus, inappropriate touching, sexually explicit conversations, exchanging pornography, oral sex, and other sexual acts between minors and adults is classified as child sexual abuse.

The impact of sexual abuse during childhood is profound and life changing. If a child is already on the wrong track, it can make things even worse and cause them to develop severe anger issues. They may also struggle with depression, self-harming behaviors, and suicidal thoughts. These issues may not appear until adulthood, as many victims repress memories of being sexually assaulted at Butte Juvenile Detention Center.

Taking legal action can help victims on the path to recovery, as they will have a chance to publicly call out their abuser. It also gives them the opportunity to go after the county probation system and other government agencies that failed to protect them from a sexual predator. To decide whether a Butte Juvenile Detention sexual abuse lawsuit is right for you, please consult a childhood sexual assault lawyer at our office.

Can I Sue the County for a
Butte Juvenile Detention Abuse Incident?

Yes, you can file a lawsuit against Butte County for negligence, which allowed one or more of their employees to sexually abuse you. While county officials are not directly responsible for these incidents, they are legally required to report incidents of abuse upon receiving a complaint by the victim, another staff member, or even an anonymous source. This is legally required under the state’s mandatory reporting laws, and failure to contact law enforcement is a criminal violation.

In reality, we know that the laws cannot compel an invidious to do the right thing. And Butte Juvenile Detention sexual abuse incidents continue to be a problem that the county would rather ignore. Those who prey on children know this very well, and they most certainly use it to their advantage. This is why Butte Juvenile Detention assault lawsuits are filed against Butte County, and not just the person that committed the abuse.

Here are some examples of liability by a county agency, which can make them liable in a juvenile hall sexual abuse case:

• Facility administrators fail to report incidents of child sexual and/or physical assault to the police. 
• Instead of investigating the incident, county officials chose to conceal or destroy evidence of child sexual assault at Butte County Juvenile Hall.
• Upon discovering evidence of sexual abuse, juvenile hall administrators failed to fire the offending employee, which continued to put the victim – as well as other children – in danger.
• The perpetrator was transferred to the facility due to sexual abuse complaints at another juvenile hall, meaning that the county intentionally put minors at risk of sexual assault.
• County officials attempted to silence the victim with direct or implied threats, or pressure them (or their family members) into accepting a settlement in exchange for signing a liability waiver.

Keep in mind that is not a complete list of all the ways a government agency can be liable when a child is sexually abused. For a detailed discussion on your rights and legal options, call us to schedule a free case review with a Butte Juvenile Detention sexual abuse attorney.

How to File a Butte Juvenile Detention Sexual Abuse Class Action Lawsuit

To file a Butte Juvenile Detention sexual assault class action lawsuit, all you have to do is contact us and ask to speak with a lawyer that’s experienced in class action claims against juvenile halls. One of our attorneys can help you join an existing lawsuit or initiate a class action with others who were sexually abused at a California juvenile detention center.

However, it’s important to understand the class action process and whether it’s the best option for you and your loved ones. There are many advantages to filing a lawsuit with other victims, like having a stronger case with ample evidence. But these lawsuits have their downsides as well, and they may not be appropriate if you have severe trauma / injuries, and other extenuating circumstances.

A Butte Juvenile Detention class action lawsuit attorney is available 24/7, so don’t hesitate to call if you need information on how you should proceed with a lawsuit against Butte Juvenile Detention Center.

Average Value of a Butte Juvenile Detention Center Sexual Abuse Lawsuit

The value of a Butte County Juvenile Hall sexual assault lawsuit is between $1,000,000 and $5,000,000 for a personal injury claim, meaning the victim has a filed a lawsuit on their own. A Butte Juvenile Detention sexual abuse class action lawsuit is worth $10,000 to $500,000,000 and above. While these settlements are massive, some of these lawsuits involve hundreds to thousands of victims, and the settlement is split between all of them.

Case values are especially high if your case goes to trial and there is a favorable jury verdict. One reason is that juries are allowed to award punitive damages, which is an additional payment that’s meant to punish the defendant for acts of gross negligence. If it’s proven that the defendant concealed, or attempted to conceal, evidence of sexual abuse against a child, a jury can choose to award treble damages. This will triple the amount of damages you would normally receive, which is a significant addition to any compensation award.

Please be aware that most cases do not go to trial, and this is usually in the victim’s best interest. The goal is to receive a fair amount of payment, based on the circumstances in your own case. Thus, many sexual abuse lawsuits are settled out of court for $1,000,000 to $3,000,000. For a detailed discussion on the potential value of your case, schedule a free consultation with a Butte Juvenile Detention sexual molestation lawyer.

How Long Does a Juvenile Hall Sexual Assault Case Take to Settle?

It takes 6 to 24 months to settle a Butte Juvenile Detention Center sexual abuse lawsuit for a personal injury case. For a class action lawsuit, it takes anywhere from 1 to 5 years to settle a lawsuit for sexual assault at Butte County Juvenile Hall.

Factors that play a role in how long it takes to settle your case include the following:

• How long it takes to find and gather evidence to support your allegations
• The severity of your injuries and the resulting monetary losses  
• The type of legal action you are filing (as a general rule, class action lawsuits take longer to settle due to the number of plaintiffs, court requirements, and other factors)
• Whether your case goes to trial

Though we strive to resolve all sexual abuse lawsuits as fast as possible, a settlement should reflect the level of harm and suffering to the victim. Negotiating an appropriate amount of damages often takes over a year in these cases, sometimes up to several years, based on the level of resistance by the defendant. Working through these issues can be very challenging, so it’s best to seek help from a Butte Juvenile Detention abuse attorney right from the start.

Deadline for a Sexual Abuse Lawsuit against Butte Juvenile Detention Center

With the passing of Assembly Bill 218 in October 2019, victims have more time than ever before to seek compensation for incidents of childhood sexual abuse. The time limit to file a Butte Juvenile Detention Center sexual abuse lawsuit is based on whichever of these dates comes later:

• The victim’s 40^th birthday, or 22 years after turning the age of majority.
• Up to 5 years from discovering the impact of child sexual assault, or finding out that they were a victim of sexual abuse during childhood.

The 5-year discovery rule is crucial in cases of sexual abuse, especially among children. Many kids don’t understand that they are being abused, and it’s not until many years later that they figure out what’s happened to them. Others have repressed memories of sexual assault at a juvenile hall and are only able to deal with these incidents once they receive therapy from a licensed counselor. For some people, this doesn’t happen until they are past the age of 40, but under the discovery rule, they can still file a lawsuit if they were abused due to negligence at a juvenile hall.

A Butte Juvenile Detention abuse attorney at our law firm will help you figure out the statute of limitations for a sexual assault lawsuit during a free, confidential case review.

The Child Abuse Lawsuit Attorneys of Normandie

In spite of claims that they committed to humane and rehabilitative treatment, the juvenile justice system is plagued with horrific incidents of child abuse. It’s clear that something is amiss at many of these facilities, and negligence by the county agencies is at the heart of the problem.

The Butte Juvenile Detention abuse lawyers of Normandie understand the importance of justice on behalf of child sexual assault victims. Thus, we provide free legal services to anyone that is eligible for a juvenile hall sexual abuse claim. With the Zero Fee Guarantee, you won’t need to worry about attorney’s fees, which are covered by the defendant. All payment is recovered at the end of your case, and that’s only if we succeed in bringing you compensation in the form of a settlement or jury verdict.

To receive a free case evaluation and learn about the ways we can assist you, contact our law firm as soon as possible.

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