August 12, 2025
Los Angeles County has reached a sweeping $4 billion settlement to resolve thousands of lawsuits brought by survivors of sexual abuse in the county’s foster care and juvenile detention systems.
Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel, which represents more than 200 sexual assault survivors in the litigation, welcomes the historic resolution, which is the largest settlement of its kind in U.S. history.
“This is a powerful acknowledgment of the harm done and a long-overdue step toward accountability for the failures of Los Angeles County’s juvenile system,” said Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel partner Susan Ulrich, whose practice is devoted to representing sexual abuse survivors. “For too long, these victims were ignored, silenced, and mistreated by the very system that was supposed to protect them. While this agreement cannot undo the past, it is a meaningful measure of justice. Our work is far from over—we will continue to fight for survivors wherever abuse has been allowed to fester.”
The lawsuits became possible after a 2020 California law temporarily lifted the sexual assault statute of limitations, giving survivors of childhood sexual abuse a three-year window to file claims that were previously time-barred. The settlement includes claims against several county departments, including Probation, Children and Family Services, Parks and Recreation, Health Services, Sheriff and Fire.
Historic Settlement for Survivors of Sex Abuse
The sexual assault settlement amount surpasses a $2.7 billion agreement reached with the Boy Scouts of America in 2022, which previously stood as the largest sexual abuse settlement in U.S. history.
Many of the cases stem from abuse allegations at the MacLaren Children’s Center, a facility that operated from 1961 until it closed in 2003. Originally intended to serve as a temporary shelter for children awaiting foster placement, MacLaren was first overseen by the county’s probation department before coming under the control of the Department of Children and Family Services in 1976.
Writes the Associated Press:
Other private and public entities have been rocked by allegations of wide-ranging abuse and subsequent settlements. The 2022 settlement by Boy Scouts of America, which recently renamed itself Scouting America, involved more than 80,000 men who said they were molested as children by scouting leaders and others.
And last year the Archdiocese of Los Angeles agreed to pay $800 million to victims of clergy sexual abuse, bringing the total payout to more than $1.5 billion.
Sex Abuse Survivor Claims Followed Systemic Failures
Decades of unchecked abuse in California’s juvenile system were fueled by serious systemic failures, including:
These long-standing problems created an environment where vulnerable children were left without protection or recourse. As part of the settlement, Los Angeles County agreed to implement a series of reforms aimed at addressing these failures.
Key proposed reforms include:
How We Help Survivors of Childhood Sexual Assault
At Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel, we represent adult survivors of childhood sexual assault with compassion, discretion, and determination. Our experienced sexual assault attorneys have spent decades holding abusers and the institutions that enabled them accountable. If you suffered sexual assault as a child, we are here to help you seek justice.
Our Results
Historic settlement for over 1,300 survivors of clergy and adult abuse within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, marking a pivotal moment for justice.
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