They are some of the most emotional cases and trials ? lawsuits and litigation that involve claims of childhood sexual abuse. The survivors of childhood sexual abuse face a troubling reality and the psychological damage that they suffer will follow them for the rest of the lives. Legal practitioners pursuing claims on behalf of victims of childhood sexual abuse need to fully understand the perspective of their clients and how these types of cases will be perceived by the judge and jury. Litigating a childhood sexual abuse case is not like litigating a traditional case like a slip and fall and you must not approach the case in the same manner.
Attorney Stephen Estey has handled these types of cases. He has taken several childhood sexual abuse cases to trial and obtained favorable outcomes for his clients. He knows the challenges that you will face if you take these types of cases. If you would like to learn more about handling cases involving childhood sexual abuse and how to prepare the jury for large damage awards, join Stephen as he provides a number of practical points about litigating childhood sexual abuse cases. The main topics addressed include the emotional side of these cases, assembling your team, adult clients, insurance coverage, the conviction, finding the red flags, using focus groups, typical defenses, using expert witnesses to establish the standard of care, asking for punitive damages, talking to jurors, defense attorneys, helping the judge to understand your case, voir dire, running the trial through the defendant and preparing your client for the trial.
Stephen J. Estey is a founding partner of Estey & Bomberger, LLP. He was named “Trial Attorney of the Year” in 2012 and 2014 by the Consumer Attorneys of San Diego (CASD). He has received three Outstanding Trial Lawyer Awards from CASD and was lead counsel in the California Supreme Court Case of Morris v. De La Torre (2005) 36 Cal 4th 260. Steve is an ABOTA member and has an AV-Rating with Martindale-Hubbell. He has also been named Super Lawyer for the years 2008-2014. In addition, he has been included in The National Trial Lawyer’s “Top 100 Trial Lawyers” since 2010 and The Best Lawyers in America since 2011. Steve is a member of the American Trial Lawyers Association, the Presidents Club of California Consumer Attorneys, the California Trial Lawyer Association, San Diego Consumer Attorneys, and the American Bar Association. Steve also teaches trial skills to other attorneys at various seminars throughout the United States, including most recently the annual CAOC Convention in San Francisco and the Melvin Belli Seminar in San Jose, California.