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 the Orange County page lists the county's other districts with a public record.
The record at Santa Ana Unified
Dordulian Law Group reported on September 29, 2021 that Santa Ana Unified School District had settled a claim by a former Valley High School student for more than $1 million. She was 16 and in tenth grade when a sociology teacher began abusing her in 1983. The teacher resigned in 1985 and died in 2004. He was never prosecuted. Court documents cited in the report say the principal was aware of the abuse but did not act against the teacher or report it. The claim was filed under AB 218, which opened a window for older claims that closed on December 31, 2022. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case depends on its own facts.
| What happened | Outcome | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valley High School: a former student, 16 when a teacher began abusing her in 1983; the principal allegedly knew and did not report | Settlement of more than $1 million | September 2021 | Dordulian Law Group |
Status of the cases
The settlement closed that claim. It shows how the older-claims track works in practice: the abuse began in 1983, the teacher had died, and the district settled anyway. The revival window that let survivors over 40 file closed on December 31, 2022. Survivors under 40, and anyone within five years of discovering the link between the abuse and an adult psychological injury, still have time under AB 218. SB 577 may change those rules, so the current status matters. A survivor of abuse at any Santa Ana Unified school, in any decade, can ask an attorney to check the dates in confidence.
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.
District responsibility
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.
Treble damages are not available against a public district. Section 340.1(b)(1) allows them when a cover-up is proved, but in Los Angeles Unified School District v. Superior Court, decided June 1, 2023, the California Supreme Court held that Government Code section 818 bars that enhancement against a public entity.
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, letters or 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.
Sources cited
- Dordulian Law Group, September 29, 2021, on the Santa Ana Unified settlement
- FCMAT, Childhood Sexual Assault: Fiscal Implications for California Public Agencies, January 31, 2025
- Code of Civil Procedure section 340.1
- California School Boards Association on AB 452
- Government Code section 905
- Government Code section 815.2
- C.A. v. William S. Hart Union High School District (2012), summarized
- Doe v. Lawndale Elementary School District (2021)
- Los Angeles Unified School District v. Superior Court (Cal. June 1, 2023)
- CalMatters on SB 577, August 2026
- SB 577 bill status