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School sexual abuse claims in Los Angeles CountyConfidential. No fee unless we recover.

Los Angeles County sits at the center of California's school sexual abuse claims. Three districts here carry verified public records: Los Angeles Unified, Mountain View School District and El Monte Union High School District. Survivors of abuse at any school in the county can still bring claims, on two deadline tracks. You can read this page without contacting anyone.

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Josh Kohanim, Esq.Written and reviewed by Josh Kohanim, Esq., California Bar No. 328609 · Published · Reviewed

In this guide

You can read this page without contacting anyone. If you reach out, you do not have to give your name. Nothing happens until you say so. The school sexual abuse page explains the law statewide and how a claim works. This page holds the Los Angeles County record.

The statewide picture

The Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) reported to the Legislature on January 31, 2025, drawing on a 2023 Aon report with data from 14 public entity risk pools and districts. Claims originated in 48 of California's 58 counties. Five Southern California counties, Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Riverside and San Bernardino, held 65 percent of the 2,079 claims reported, and 14 of the state's 25 largest districts sit in those counties. Children aged 13 to 17 were most at risk, with 14 the most frequent age. Half of the offenses occurred in classrooms. Teachers were the most common perpetrators, at 38 percent. One risk pool reported that its claims rose 23 percent between June 30, 2023 and June 30, 2024. CalMatters counted at least 1,000 lawsuits against California districts and counties under AB 218 as of July 2025.

Districts on record

Three Los Angeles County districts have a public record that can be checked: a set of settlements, a jury verdict and an Attorney General finding. Each has its own page. A district without a public record can still be responsible for what happened at its schools.

Los Angeles Unified

The Los Angeles Times reported on February 21, 2026 that about 370 people filed childhood sexual assault claims against Los Angeles Unified between January 1, 2020 and mid-2025 under AB 218, with more than 275 active as of mid-2025. The board approved $500 million in judgment obligation bonds in June 2025 and $250 million more in February 2026, at a cost of more than $1 billion with financing. Settlements tied to former Miramonte Elementary teacher Mark Berndt passed $200 million in April 2026. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case depends on its own facts. Read the Los Angeles Unified page.

Mountain View School District

In April 2025 a Los Angeles jury awarded $48 million to six former students of Miramonte Elementary School in South El Monte, abused by a teacher between the early 2000s and 2017. The Los Angeles Times reported that the evidence showed the district had warnings dating to the 1990s and took no action. Jurors held the district responsible for slightly more than $36 million. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case depends on its own facts. Read the Mountain View School District page.

El Monte Union High School District

On March 20, 2026 the Attorney General announced a stipulated judgment against El Monte Union High School District. The Department of Justice reviewed 113 complaints from 2018 to fall 2025 and found the district systemically violated the Education Code and the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act. The judgment requires at least four years of oversight by the court and the Attorney General. Read the El Monte Union High School District page.

The law in brief

A district answers for what its employees do and fail to do within the scope of their work under Government Code section 815.2(a). In C.A. v. William S. Hart Union High School District (2012) 53 Cal.4th 861, the California Supreme Court held that a district can be liable for administrators who negligently hired, kept or supervised an abusive employee. In Doe v. Lawndale Elementary School District (2021), the Second District Court of Appeal held that this duty does not depend on proof that administrators actually knew of an employee's earlier misconduct. Whether they responded reasonably to warning signs is a question for the jury. One limit applies. In Los Angeles Unified School District v. Superior Court, decided June 1, 2023, the California Supreme Court held that the treble damages provision in Code of Civil Procedure section 340.1(b)(1) cannot be imposed on a public entity.

Filing deadlines

The date of the conduct decides the deadline. Conduct on or after January 1, 2024 has no time limit, because AB 452 amended Code of Civil Procedure section 340.1 to remove it. Earlier conduct follows AB 218. A survivor can file until age 40, or within five years of discovering that an adult psychological injury was caused by the assault, whichever is later. Survivors 40 and older file certificates of merit from an attorney and a licensed mental health practitioner. No government claim is required first, because Government Code section 905(m) exempts these claims. SB 577 passed the Legislature at the end of August 2026 and awaited the Governor as of September 23, 2026. It may change the rules for older claims. Our statute of limitations page tracks it.

A confidential first step

A first conversation covers only what you choose to share, and you can talk to an attorney in confidence. Many survivors file as Jane Doe or John Doe, courts commonly allow it, and we will ask whether you want that. Survivors do not have to face the abuser to bring a claim. A parent can make the first call for a child. No fee unless we recover. If there is no recovery, you owe no fee and no case costs.

Records to gather

Nothing here is required before you call. It helps to have the school and the years, the adult's role, yearbooks, report cards, photos, messages, the names of friends who knew, and any earlier complaint to the school. Do not contact the abuser or the district, and do not post details online. Adult survivors can use our before you call checklist. Parents can use our after your child tells you checklist.

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Sources cited

Frequently asked questions

Can I still sue a Los Angeles County school district for abuse that happened years ago?
Often, yes. Conduct before January 1, 2024 follows AB 218: until age 40, or within five years of discovering that an adult psychological injury was caused by the assault, whichever is later. Survivors 40 and older need certificates of merit. Conduct on or after January 1, 2024 has no time limit. SB 577 may change the rules for older claims.
Do I have to file a government claim before suing a school district?
No. Most suits against a public entity start with a written claim to the entity, but Government Code section 905(m) exempts claims for childhood sexual assault brought under Code of Civil Procedure section 340.1. A survivor can file the lawsuit directly. A district may not adopt its own claim procedure for these cases.
Does my name become public if I bring a claim against a school district?
Not necessarily. Many survivors file as Jane Doe or John Doe, and courts commonly allow it in school abuse cases. We will ask whether you want that before anything is filed. Survivors do not have to face the abuser to bring a claim, and a first conversation with the firm does not require your name at all.
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