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Inland Empire Abuse Lawyer

We represent survivors of childhood sexual abuse throughout the Inland Empire, including Riverside, Temecula, Murrieta, San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, Victorville, and the Coachella Valley.

Cases we handle in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties

  • Sexual abuse by teachers, coaches, aides, and staff in public and private K–12 schools
  • Abuse in after-school, sports, and enrichment programs run on campus by outside organizations
  • Abuse in county juvenile halls and probation camps
  • Abuse in foster homes, group homes, and residential programs
  • Failures to report under CANRA that allowed abuse to continue

Local institutions

Riverside and San Bernardino Counties together run several juvenile detention facilities and probation camps, dozens of school districts, and large foster care systems spread across a region larger than many states. Survivors from the High Desert and the Coachella Valley face long distances to courts and services; we handle the logistics so you don’t have to travel for every step.

Where cases are filed

Riverside County cases are filed in the Riverside County Superior Court, with courthouses in Riverside, Murrieta, and Indio. San Bernardino County cases are filed in the San Bernardino County Superior Court, with the main civil courthouse in San Bernardino and branches in Rancho Cucamonga and Victorville.

What is different about a local case

Nothing about the law changes from county to county, but the practice does. Each county’s probation department, child welfare agency, and school districts keep records differently, use different insurers and defense firms, and settle differently. We know the local landscape, and cases against counties and large districts are handled jointly with a Los Angeles plaintiffs’ firm that represents survivors of childhood sexual abuse and institutional abuse across California.

Deadlines

For abuse before 2024, a survivor may file until age 40 or within five years of discovering the connection between the abuse and adult injuries. For abuse on or after January 1, 2024, there is no deadline. No government claim is required. Details.

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Attorney Stephen J. Costello
We answer 24/7 877-428-4544Free consultation