Written and reviewed by Josh Kohanim, Esq., California Bar No. 328609 · Published · Reviewed
In this guide
The record at Montecito Union
On September 27, 2025, Montecito Union School District announced a $7.5 million settlement with two former students, John Doe 1 and John Doe 2, now in their 50s. Its board approved the settlement at a special meeting the day before. The two men alleged that the school's former principal abused them between 1972 and 1978, and that at least two of his secretaries and a teacher knew and conspired to cover it up. The principal died in 2013. The district did not admit liability. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case depends on its own facts.
| What happened | Outcome | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two former students alleged abuse by a former principal from 1972 to 1978 | $7.5 million settlement, no admission of liability | Announced September 27, 2025 | Noozhawk |
Status of the cases
The claims are settled. What stands out is how the district will pay. Its statement says that "because the district does not have insurance coverage for these historic claims, continued litigation created exceptional financial vulnerability." The district plans a hiring freeze, staffing reductions through attrition, and a shift of capital repair funds to operating costs. Its board said the decision to settle "was made to protect our students and our instructional program." For a survivor, two points follow. The age of the claim did not bar it; conduct from the 1970s was resolved in 2025. And when a district has no insurance for older claims, payment comes from its own budget, which shapes how a case is negotiated. Montecito sits in Santa Barbara County, outside the five Southern California counties that hold 65 percent of the state's reported claims.
Filing deadlines
Two tracks apply. For conduct on or after January 1, 2024, there is no time limit; AB 452 wrote that into Code of Civil Procedure section 340.1(p). For earlier conduct, the AB 218 rules apply. A survivor may file until age 40, or within five years of discovering that an adult psychological injury was caused by the abuse, whichever is later. Survivors 40 and older must file certificates of merit from an attorney and a licensed mental health practitioner. No government claim is required. Government Code section 905(m) exempts childhood sexual assault claims, so the six-month claim deadline for other injury cases against a district does not apply. 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, which matters most for survivors of decades-old abuse. Our statute of limitations page tracks it.
District responsibility
A district answers for its employees. Government Code section 815.2(a) makes a public entity liable for an employee's act or omission within the scope of employment. 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. School personnel must use reasonable measures to protect students from foreseeable injury. In Doe v. Lawndale Elementary School District (2021), the Court of Appeal held that this duty does not depend on proof that the district knew of prior misconduct. Whether administrators responded reasonably to warning signs is a jury question. Section 340.1 allows up to treble damages for a proved cover-up, but in Los Angeles Unified School District v. Superior Court (2023) the California Supreme Court held that public districts do not pay them.
A confidential first step
A Jane Doe or John Doe filing is common in these cases; the two Montecito plaintiffs used one. Courts commonly allow it, and we will ask whether you want one. You do not have to face the abuser to bring a claim. Nothing you tell us is shared without your say. No fee unless we recover. If there is no recovery, you owe no fee and no case costs. Spanish-speaking staff answer the phone. The law for every district, and the other regions we cover, are on our California school sexual abuse lawyer page.
Records to gather
You do not need documents to make a first call, but they help. For an adult survivor of older abuse: the school, the years, and the adult's role; yearbooks, class photos, report cards or letters that place you there; the names of classmates or staff who knew. Do not contact the district, and do not post details online. Our before you call checklist walks through it. For a parent: write down what your child said, in their words, with the date; keep messages and devices; ask the school for its written policy and its Title IX coordinator's name. Our after your child tells you checklist covers each step.
Sources cited
- Noozhawk, September 27, 2025: Montecito Union School District to pay $7.5 million to settle abuse allegations, with the district's statement on insurance
- FCMAT, January 31, 2025: statewide claim data and the AB 218 filing window
- Code of Civil Procedure section 340.1 and CSBA on AB 452
- Government Code section 905(m) and section 815.2
- Los Angeles Unified School District v. Superior Court (2023), C.A. v. William S. Hart (2012) and Doe v. Lawndale (2021)
- CalMatters, August 30, 2026: SB 577 sent to the Governor and SB 577 bill status