School District Settles Student Abuse Lawsuit for $2M
Table of Contents
Case Background
A former student, publicly identified only as Jane Doe 7073, sued the Charter Oak Unified School District (COUSD) in late 2022. The Plaintiff's lawsuit centered on grievous allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse by a school employee, named in the complaint as Max Young, who the Court documents identified as Doe 2. The lawsuit asserted that the district carried a legal responsibility to protect its students but fundamentally failed to prevent the alleged abuse. Legal proceedings quickly commenced in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, before the Honorable Peter L. Hernandez.
Cause
The Plaintiff filed the original complaint on November 14, 2022, asserting that she became a victim of repeated sexual misconduct while she attended school under the district’s supervision. Her filing made clear that the district had an enforceable, non-delegable duty to provide a safe learning environment, a duty it breached when the alleged incidents occurred. The core of the complaint hinged on the claim that systemic failures within the school administration created the opportunity for the abuse to happen.
Injury
Throughout the litigation, the Plaintiff consistently maintained that she endured severe, life-altering emotional distress and lasting psychological harm because of the alleged misconduct. The complaint detailed that these injuries were so profound that they necessitated extensive and ongoing professional psychological and medical care. The lasting nature of the trauma formed the basis for the substantial damages she later sought.
Damages Sought
Jane Doe 7073 sought recovery for all past, present, and future damages. These included economic losses, which covered the extensive costs of her psychological and medical treatments, as well as future lost earning potential. She also pursued substantial non-economic damages to compensate her for the significant pain, suffering, and emotional trauma she underwent. Importantly, the complaint specifically requested that the Court award punitive damages against the employee, Max Young, who she claimed acted maliciously and intentionally.
Key Arguments and Proceedings
Legal Representation
Plaintiff: Jane Doe 7073.
Counsel for Plaintiff(s): Brian L. Williams | Jemma E. Dunn | Bailee B. Pelham | Michael Reck | Hagerey Mengistu
Defendant(s): Charter Oak Unified School District | Max Young | Does 3-10.
Counsel for Defendant(s): Arthur C. Preciado | Rebecca L. Gerome
Key Arguments or Remarks by Counsel
The Plaintiff’s legal team launched a powerful case, arguing the district failed at its most basic task: protecting children. They asserted that COUSD’s own policies for reporting and preventing employee misconduct were insufficient, or that the district simply had not enforced them. Plaintiff’s counsel forcefully argued that the district had received several warning signs regarding the employee’s behavior before the abuse became known, but administrators chose to overlook or downplay those signs, creating a dangerous environment by prioritizing convenience over student safety.
The defense, representing the Charter Oak Unified School District, vehemently countered the allegations, arguing that the district took immediate and appropriate corrective action upon learning of the claims. The defense maintained that the employee's actions, if proven true, were isolated incidents that fell outside the scope of his employment. They firmly stated that no District negligence had contributed to the events and that the employee alone bore responsibility, denying any institutional failure or liability on the part of the district.
Claims
Negligence
The core claim against the district asserted that it acted negligently. The Plaintiff maintained that the district breached its duty of care by failing to properly screen, train, and supervise its employee, Max Young. The failure to intervene, she argued, resulted directly in her subsequent injuries.
Sexual Battery and Intentional Torts
Against the employee Max Young, the Plaintiff filed claims including sexual battery, assault, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. These claims described the employee’s actions as willful, malicious, and despicable, laying the necessary legal groundwork for the demand for punitive damages.
Failure to Report and Protect
The Plaintiff also asserted a claim based on the district’s failure to report the alleged abuse promptly. This delay, she argued, represented a breach of mandatory state reporting laws and exacerbated the harm she suffered by delaying intervention by the proper authorities and prolonging her exposure to the danger.
Defense
The Charter Oak Unified School District officially responded to the complaint by filing a sweeping denial of liability. The district’s defense strategy focused heavily on the concept of scope of employment. They contended that their systems for staff training and compliance were robust and up to standard. The district maintained that the alleged actions were solely the personal, unauthorized conduct of the employee and, therefore, the district held no responsibility for those private acts.
Settlement
The complex civil case, which had been set for a contentious jury trial, came to an abrupt end just weeks before the jury selection process began. Following intense, confidential mediation sessions, the parties reached a final, binding settlement.
The Charter Oak Unified School District ultimately agreed to pay the Plaintiff, Jane Doe 7073, the sum of $2,000,000 to resolve all claims lodged in the lawsuit. This settlement concluded the litigation, preventing the need for a public trial that would have involved emotionally draining testimony and potentially exposed the inner workings of the district’s administrative oversight. The agreement formalized a resolution that both sides accepted, bringing a quiet end to a powerful legal challenge that had attracted intense scrutiny from the local community.
Court documents are available upon request at jurimatic@exlitem.com