A San Joaquin County Grand Jury determined that in both the juvenile hall and in the county jail, there are multiple issues, including federal violations, that put detainees, inmates, and residents at risk of sexual abuse and other harm. Below, we will summarize some of the findings.
At the county jail, the grand jury determined the following:
- The sheriff’s office is in violation of a federal law by failing to provide means to report sexual abuse or sexual harassment confidentially.
- The interrogation rooms are blind spots since there are no audio recording or video recording equipment, which poses a risk to inmates (inmates should never be in a secluded setting with officers).
- There is a lack of written or posted information explaining detainees/inmates rights in jail.
- There is a lack of written or posted information regarding the jail’s zero-tolerance policy on sex abuse.
At the juvenile hall facility, the grand jury determined the following:
- There is a lack of published material that explains how juveniles and adult residents are separated.
- There has not been the legally required audit or the required annual review under the federal anti-sexual assault law of 2003.
- There is no written policy that explains how reports to a crisis line would stay confidential.
- There is no information regarding how someone could file a confidential report on behalf of a child.
- The probation department failed to properly train educators, contract workers, and volunteers as required by the federal anti-assault law.
Unfortunately, the different issues that inmates and residents of these facilities have to face are often ignored simply because they are in these facilities. In the past few years, there have been countless reports of ongoing sexual abuse at jails and juvenile halls alike. Victims often do not know how to report their abuse. When they do manage to report, they face retaliation and are further abused.
If you were abused during your time at a county jail or a juvenile hall center, you could have the right to file a lawsuit. For more information about the legal options to you, contact the experts here at our law firm immediately. Our lawyers are more than ready to evaluate the legal options available to you and help you recover the payout that you are owed. Contact the Normandie Law Firm today.
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Can I Sue?
Yes – if you suffered sexual abuse at the San Joaquin County Jail or at the San Joaquin Juvenile Hall Facility, you could have the right to file a lawsuit. If you were abused during your time at the county jail, you could file a claim against the sheriff’s office, which is the department that runs the jail. If you were abused during your time at the juvenile hall facility, you could file a claim against the San Joaquin County Probation Department for Juvenile Detention, which runs the juvenile hall.
For more information about your right to sue, we recommend that you seek legal assistance with the experts here at our law firm as soon as possible. Our
How Long Do I Have to Sue If I was Sexually Abused?
What is the statute of limitations for my case? How long do I have to file a lawsuit if I was abused? These are very important question. In general, adults who were sexually abused have ten years or three years after discovering harm resulting from the abuse to file a claim. Those who were sexually abused as children have until the age of forty or five years after discovering the harm resulting from the abuse to file a claim. However, if the sexual abuse occurred in a facility run by a government agency – whether it’s the sheriff’s office or probation department – then things are different.
When a government agency is involved, victims and their families must file a government claim directly with the agency involved. Government claims are subject to a strict six-month deadline, meaning that they must be filed within six months of the incident. If the government agency rejects the claim, the claimant will have one year to file in court; if the agency does not respond to the claim, the claimant will have two years to file in court.
If you are unsure of the specific length of time that you have to file your claim after you suffered sexual abuse at the county jail or the juvenile hall center, it is important that you speak to a lawyer immediately to learn more about the deadline that applies to your claim.
What is the Average Value of a County Jail or Juvenile Hall Sexual Abuse Case?
This is a very important question. Ultimately, the settlement value of a case depends on many different factors, like the specific injuries suffered, the severity of the injuries suffered, the permanency of the injuries, how the incident/injuries affected the victim mentally and emotionally, and even if the incident was covered up. Because of this, it can be very difficult and even misleading to establish one single value to apply to all jail and juvenile hall sex abuse cases.
In general, these cases can be worth anywhere from $500,000 to $5 million – and sometimes more. It is important to note that this is an estimated range. For more information about the possible value of your claim, contact our legal team as soon as possible. Our lawyers are more than ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to not only understand what your case could be worth, but also to ensure that you are awarded the settlement that you are owed for the sexual abuse that you or a loved one suffered.
How Long Does It Take to Reach a Settlement?
Here at our law firm, we understand that it can be very frustrating to have to wait for a settlement – especially if clients do not know where things are headed or if any progress is being made on their case. Our team is committed to keeping our clients well-informed every step of the settlement process so that they are never left unsure of what is going on with their claims. In addition, our team is committed to settling sex abuse lawsuits within a reasonable length of time. Although we can settle many cases in about six months, some of the more complex cases can take up to two years to settle. Some cases can take even longer than two years to settle.
When you allow the experts here at our law firm to handle your claim, you can trust that our team will always do everything necessary to reach a fair settlement for your claim within a reasonable length of time.
If you have already started the legal process elsewhere but believe that things are taking too long, contact us today for a free second opinion. We might be able to help you get your settlement quicker.
Law Firm Filing Lawsuits On Behalf of Victims
If you are looking for a law firm filing lawsuits and class action lawsuits on behalf of victims, look no further. Here at the Normandie Law Firm, our sex abuse lawyers are not afraid to take on your San Joaquin County Jail or San Joaquin Juvenile Hall sex abuse case. Our legal team is ready to fight for your rights and help you recover the payout that you are owed for the sexual abuse suffered. Our team has decades of experience handling sex abuse cases and can guide you every step of the way.
We offer free legal services, which include free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our lawyers will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns. Our team will ensure that you have access to all the information that you need to either begin or continue your county jail or juvenile hall sexual abuse lawsuit. To benefit from these free legal services, contact us today.
Our Zero-Fee guarantee ensures that our clients will never be required to pay any upfront legal fees for any of our legal services. In addition, since we work on contingency, our clients will not be required to pay anything until after winning their claims. If you do not win, you will simply not be required to pay anything at all.
Contact the Normandie Law Firm today for more information about the legal options available to you.
