Our attorneys have been assisting the Orange County and Southern California communities for over 40 years.
A church should be a place where children feel safe. It should never be the setting of sexual abuse or assault – especially not by trusted clergy members such as priests. Sadly, thousands of adults today experienced clergy abuse as children decades ago. Many of today’s youth face ongoing sexual abuse in churches in and around San Francisco.
If you or your child suffered sexual abuse within the Archdiocese of San Francisco, the San Francisco clergy abuse attorneys at DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo may be able to help. We have extensive experience handling these case types throughout California. One of our Archdiocese of San Francisco clergy abuse attorneys can review your case during an entirely confidential consultation to let you know if you have grounds for a claim. We may be able to fight for fair financial relief on your behalf. Call (714) 783-2205 today.
An attorney with experience assisting sexual abuse survivors through clergy-related claims will have the knowledge to guide you forward. Our personal injury attorneys understand state and federal laws regarding clergy abuse, as well as survivors’ rights to file civil claims in pursuit of monetary damages. Our clergy abuse attorneys have the negotiation skills and commitment to the craft to strengthen your case and fight for fair restitution from the diocese and/or another party in San Francisco.
It is a terrifying reality that hundreds of priests, bishops, deacons, and archbishops throughout California stand currently accused of sex crimes and misconduct. One resource, the Database of Publicly Accused Priests, puts information from media reports regarding clergy abuse in one convenient place for the public to view. According to this resource, 35 individuals in the Archdiocese of San Francisco are currently accused. Six have received convictions for clergy abuse crimes.
Holding clergy members accountable for the heinous crimes of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, rape, molestation and child pornography may take help from a San Francisco clergy abuse attorney. You do not have to bring your claim alone. Our firm can take care of communications for you so you do not have to see or interact with the other side. We can take over your case and help you seek justice and financial relief.
California has a deadline for filing childhood sexual abuse cases. For most people, this deadline arrives at age 26: 8 years after the age of majority. Plaintiffs who do not recognize the cause of their psychological struggles until later, however, will have three years from the date of discovery of clergy abuse. In addition, standard sexual assault cases have 10-year statutes of limitations in California. If you are not sure whether your deadline has passed, speak to someone from DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo for legal counsel.
Adult victims of childhood sexual abuse have been silenced for far too long and often at the hands of the laws of California. For those who have been abused by clergy members of the Archdiocese of San Francisco have previously been silenced due to certain time limits in state law. Previously, survivors of childhood sexual abuse were required to file lawsuits before they turned 26 years of age more than three years from the date they discovered they had been victims of abuse as a child. AB 218, a law that was recently past, will change the landscape for victims.
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 218 (AB 218) into law on October 13, 2019. Set to take effect on January 1, 2019, this law will implement several changes in state statutes regarding victims of childhood sexual abuse.
AB 218 did more than just change the time frames in which a victim can file a lawsuit. Significantly, it changed the definition of childhood sexual “abuse” to include childhood sexual “assault.” This broadens the number of crimes that were not previously recognized as sexual abuse and gives victims more chances to hold their abusers accountable for what happened.
The new law will also allow for “treble” damages to be awarded against anyone found to have covered up sexual abuse or salt allegations. Essentially, treble damages allow for the tripling of compensatory damages awarded to victims of childhood sexual abuse. AB 218 Send a clear message to institutions and organizations who have previously covered up sexual abuse that these actions will no longer be tolerated.
Over the last few years, we have seen major institutions and organizations involved in the covering up of sexual abuse allegations, including the Catholic Church as well as the Boy Scouts of America, USA Gymnastics, USA Swimming, school districts, and more.
Adult victims of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of clergy from the Archdiocese of San Francisco now have more opportunities to file civil lawsuits and gain compensation for what happened to them when they were children. Not all victims of childhood sexual abuse experience the trauma in the same way, and AB 218 gives victims a chance to be heard.
The clergy abuse lawyers at our firm want what is best for survivors in San Francisco. We can help you file a claim, demand fair compensation, and negotiate with multiple parties in pursuit of positive results. We have the ability to bring a civil lawsuit against the Archdiocese of San Francisco on your behalf without disclosing your identity. Learn more about your rights today during a confidential consultation. Initial case reviews are free. Contact us today online or call us at (714) 783-2205 for a free consultation.
