A civil claim is a separate path from any police investigation, and it belongs to the survivor. It can hold an abuser accountable, and it can hold accountable an institution, a school, an employer, a property owner, or another organization, whose failure allowed the harm to happen. A civil claim does not depend on whether anyone is ever charged or found guilty. It is the survivor’s own, brought on the survivor’s terms, and it can seek compensation for the harm and the cost of healing.
Mirador Law represents survivors across the East Bay with discretion and care. Led by former San Francisco public defenders Megan Burns and Emily Dahm, the firm brings more than 40 years of combined experience and close to a hundred jury trials, including two of California’s Top 50 plaintiff verdicts for 2024. Everything you share with us is confidential.
How a civil claim works
A civil sexual assault claim is decided by a lower standard of proof, and it can proceed independently of whether charges are ever filed. It can name the person responsible and, where appropriate, an organization that was negligent in hiring, supervision, or security. We handle these matters at the survivor’s pace, protecting privacy throughout and never pressing for more than a survivor chooses to share.
Deadlines are different here
The deadlines for civil sexual assault claims are not the standard two-year injury rule and are often longer. California provides extended timelines for adult sexual assault under Code of Civil Procedure section 340.16 and for childhood sexual assault under Code of Civil Procedure section 340.1. Because these rules have specific conditions and have changed over time, the safest step is to ask about your situation directly and confidentially.
A look at how these cases unfold
The following hypothetical examples illustrate how these cases can unfold. They are not based on any specific client and are provided for educational purposes only. A survivor comes forward years after an assault that happened where an organization had ignored earlier warnings. A civil claim, brought within the extended timelines the law allows, can seek accountability from both the individual and the organization whose negligence created the opportunity.
Sexual assault civil attorneys by location: Pleasanton | Oakland | Fremont & Newark