Yes, a Corona survivor of sexual abuse or assault may be able to sue for money damages. A claim can be brought against the person who caused the harm and, often, against an institution that failed to protect them. Corona cases are filed in Riverside County Superior Court, and no police report or conviction is needed. California deadlines may still allow claims about older abuse.
Corona survivors of sexual abuse or assault may be able to bring a civil lawsuit for money damages against the person who caused the harm and, often, against an institution that failed to protect them. These cases are filed in Riverside County Superior Court, and California's deadlines, which depend on the survivor's age and the date of the abuse, may still allow claims about abuse from many years ago.
If you were sexually abused or assaulted and live in Corona, you may be able to bring a civil lawsuit for money damages against the person who harmed you and, often, against an institution that failed to protect you. Corona cases are filed in Riverside County Superior Court, and California's deadlines may still allow claims about abuse from many years ago.
Many survivors do not connect what happened to them with a legal claim until years later. California law anticipates that.
Civil Claims for Sexual Abuse Survivors in California
A civil claim is a lawsuit the survivor brings, in their own name, to recover compensation for harm. It is separate from a criminal case. In a criminal case, the government decides whether to prosecute and the survivor is a witness. In a civil case, the survivor is the plaintiff and makes the key decisions, including whether to settle.
A civil claim uses "preponderance of the evidence," which means showing that something is more likely true than not, and does not depend on a police report, an arrest, or a conviction. For a fuller comparison, see this guide to civil and criminal sexual abuse cases.
Defendants are not limited to the person who committed the abuse. California law allows claims against any person or entity that owed the survivor a duty of care and whose wrongful or negligent act was a legal cause of the abuse. For childhood abuse, the governing statute is Code of Civil Procedure section 340.1. A broader overview is in considering a California civil claim.
Where Corona Cases Are Filed: Riverside County Superior Court
Corona sits in western Riverside County, so civil claims arising here are filed in the Riverside County Superior Court system. The Corona Courthouse is at 505 S. Buena Vista Ave., Corona, CA 92882.
The court also operates a courthouse at 4050 Main St., Riverside, CA 92501, and certain complex civil matters may be heard there. The Riverside County Superior Court's current locations and filing information are listed through courts.ca.gov.
The same California statutes and deadlines apply whether the case is heard in Corona or in Riverside. Survivors living elsewhere in the county can find related information on the Riverside sexual abuse lawyer page.
California's Statute of Limitations for Sexual Abuse Civil Claims
A statute of limitations is the deadline for filing a lawsuit. For sexual abuse claims in California, the deadline depends mostly on two facts: the survivor's age when the abuse happened, and the date it happened.
Abuse that happened when the survivor was under 18. Section 340.1 governs. For abuse occurring on or after January 1, 2024, there is no time limit to file. For abuse occurring on or before December 31, 2023, the earlier rule continues to apply: a survivor generally has until age 40, or five years from discovering that a psychological injury was caused by the abuse, whichever is later. This change, made by a 2023 law (AB 452), did not revive claims that had already expired. Survivors who file at age 40 or older must also file certificates of merit, which are sworn statements from their attorney and a licensed mental health practitioner who is not treating them.
An earlier law, AB 218 (2019), expanded these deadlines and opened a three-year window for older claims. That window closed on December 31, 2022, but the expanded age-40 and five-year rules it created remain in effect.
Abuse that happened when the survivor was 18 or older. The general two-year deadline for assault and battery claims appears in Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. California has a separate, longer statute for sexual assault of adults, and two revival windows also affect older adult claims:
- One window is open through December 31, 2026, for otherwise time-barred claims involving sexual assault that occurred on or after January 1, 2009. It does not apply to a claim already litigated to finality or settled in writing before January 1, 2023.
- A second window runs from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2027. It does not apply to claims against public entities.
Public entities. For childhood abuse claims under section 340.1 against a local public entity, California generally does not require the usual government claim form to be filed before the lawsuit. Claims against the State follow different rules.
These rules are complex and turn on specific dates.