Victims of sexual abuse assault have the right to file civil lawsuits and get financial compensation for what they went through. Maine has recently passed new laws making it easier for abuse victims to seek justice in the civil courts, even decades after the abuse occurred.
This post will look at the process of filing sex abuse lawsuits in Maine and review the applicable laws related to sex abuse civil suits. We will also discuss the average settlement value of Maine sex abuse cases, this awful new 2025 opinion by the Maine Supreme Court, and look at recent jury payouts and settlement amounts.
Table of Contents
➤ Deadline for Maine Sex Abuse Claims
➤ Juvenile Detention Sex Abuse Cases
Maine Sex Abuse News and Updates
April 2, 2025 – Legislative Response Brewing After Maine Supreme Court Ruling
Following the Maine Supreme Judicial Court’s devastating decision in Dupuis v. Roman Catholic Bishop of Portland, several state lawmakers are now preparing a legislative response. Among the possibilities being discussed is a constitutional amendment that would explicitly authorize the Legislature to revive time-barred civil claims for childhood sexual abuse. This mirrors similar measures passed in Vermont and other states. Victims’ advocates say this moment, while heartbreaking, could become a turning point in the broader fight for justice in Maine.
March 18, 2025 – Motion Filed to Reconsider Dupuis Ruling
Attorneys for the plaintiffs in Dupuis have filed a motion urging the Maine Supreme Judicial Court to reconsider its ruling. The motion highlights what it calls fundamental legal errors and mischaracterizations of precedent in the majority opinion. It also underscores that statutes of limitations are legislative tools, not constitutional guarantees, and should not be treated as untouchable in cases of systemic abuse and trauma-related delays in disclosure.
March 5, 2025 – New Lawsuit Alleges Decades of Abuse at Catholic Orphanage in Aroostook County
A newly filed lawsuit in Penobscot County alleges that children at a now-defunct Catholic orphanage in Aroostook County were subjected to decades of sexual and physical abuse by priests and nuns. The plaintiff, now in his 60s, claims he was repeatedly abused throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. The lawsuit seeks damages from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland and affiliated orders. Advocates fear the recent Maine Supreme Court ruling could derail this and dozens of similar cases before they are heard.
February 26, 2025 – National Advocacy Groups Condemn Maine Ruling
Major victims’ rights organizations, including SNAP and CHILD USA, have condemned the Maine Supreme Judicial Court’s ruling in Dupuis as a betrayal of abuse survivors. Marci Hamilton, CEO of CHILD USA, stated: “This ruling reinforces the power of institutions over individuals and ignores the science of trauma.” National attention is now turning to Maine, where survivors are demanding political solutions in the wake of what many see as a judicial failure to deliver justice.
January 30, 2025 – Awful Maine Supreme Court Opinion Snatches Away Victims’ Rights
The Maine Supreme Court’s majority opinion on Tuesday in Dupuis v. Roman Catholic Bishop of Portland is a devastating blow to survivors of childhood sexual abuse seeking justice.
The Maine high court struck down 14 M.R.S. § 752-C(3) as unconstitutional, holding that the Legislature cannot revive child sex abuse claims that were already barred by the statute of limitations. By ruling that the Legislature’s attempt to revive previously time-barred claims is unconstitutional, the Court has effectively shut the courthouse doors on victims who were silenced for decades by trauma and institutional cover-ups. The decision leans heavily on rigid interpretations of precedent, asserting that once a statute of limitations has expired, a defendant has a “vested right” to be free from litigation. This cold, formalistic approach ignores the unique nature of childhood sexual abuse cases, where victims often cannot come forward until many years later. The ruling prioritizes abstract legal principles over real human suffering, sending a chilling message that procedural finality outweighs substantive justice.
This puts Maine in a shrinking minority. Courts in states like Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, Maryland and others have upheld similar revival statutes, especially where the Legislature has made specific findings about the delayed nature of disclosure in abuse cases. Even under Maine’s own section 752-C, the Legislature explicitly acknowledged that these claims deserve to be heard—yet that judgment was overridden.
The Court says that section 752-C(3) fails the test for permissible retroactive laws because it “upsets settled expectations” and creates new liabilities. But those expectations rest on silence—not on any affirmative reliance or prejudice. The Court acknowledges that difficulties in defending old cases exist on both sides, and it even concedes that the statute rationally served the public interest. Still, it finds the constitutional violation in the mere fact of revival.
The dissenting opinion rightfully condemns the majority’s reasoning as misguided and unjust. Justice Douglas correctly points out that this is a case of first impression—Maine had never before ruled on whether the Legislature could retroactively extend the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse claims. The majority relies on legal dicta rather than binding precedent, twisting past rulings to justify a decision that is fundamentally at odds with the evolving understanding of trauma and justice. The dissent emphasizes that statutes of limitations are legislative creations, not absolute rights, and that the Maine Constitution does not bar the state from correcting historical injustices. The dissent also highlights the unique nature of these cases, where victims suffer in silence due to psychological barriers, making traditional limitation periods grossly inadequate.
This ruling is a moral and legal failure. By siding with institutions that covered up abuse rather than with the victims seeking justice, the Maine Supreme Court has reinforced the very structures that enabled these horrors to persist unchecked for decades. The legislature saw a problem and fixed it. That is their right.
Get More Maine Sexual Abuse Lawsuits and Legal Updates
November 26, 2024 – Dr. Michael J. Gilmore Sexual Misconduct Allegations
Maine Functional Medicine, a Bangor-based practice, closed this fall after its owner, Dr. Michael J. Gilmore, signed a consent agreement acknowledging there was sufficient evidence to support allegations that he sexually assaulted a 23-year-old female patient during an appointment. The closure was announced in a letter to patients dated September 24, with operations ceasing on October 31 and emergency care provided until that date.
The consent agreement noted 21 grounds for disciplinary action against Gilmore for his sexual misconduct, including his treatment of the patient and his initial response to the commission, which was the typical, deny, deny, deny.
November 14, 2024 – Still Waiting for Ruling From Maine Supreme Court
It has now been a full year since the Maine Supreme Court heard oral arguments on an appeal challenging a new state law that allowed victims of child sex abuse to file civil lawsuits without any statute of limitations time limits. The court has yet to issue a decision in the case, leaving many abuse victims hanging in limbo. There is no time limit or deadline for the court to decide a case, so this could theoretically drag on for another year or more.
September 14, 2024 – Former Teacher Sentenced to Three Years
A former public school teacher in Portland has been sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of sexually explicit videos of minors. He had worked in the school system as a teacher for 30 years before being arrested in 2023 after videos of young boys engaging in sexual activities were found on his Google drive.
July 24, 2024: Lawsuit Filed Against Maine Department Of Corrections
A lawsuit has been filed against the Maine Department of Corrections and several Long Creek Youth Development Center staff members and Mountain View Youth Development Center. The plaintiff, a former juvenile detainee, alleges serious mistreatment during his time in custody from 2012 to 2016. The claims include excessive use of isolation, excessive force, and sexual assault by staff members.
The lawsuit details instances where the plaintiff, who had documented mental health issues, was subjected to prolonged solitary confinement, physical assaults, and inappropriate use of restraints.
The sexual abuse claims in this case are ones that people used to look past but now are no longer willing to do so. This young man was sexually abused as a minor by a female prison guard. After he left the detention center as an adult, he continued his sexual relationship with the guard.
This situation is deeply troubling because it involves the sexual exploitation of a minor by a female prison guard, an authority figure entrusted with the care and rehabilitation of young offenders. Such abuse violates the trust inherent in the guardian role and can cause long-lasting psychological damage to the victim. The continuation of this relationship into the victim’s adulthood underscores the enduring impact of the abuse, suggesting a manipulative dynamic that persists beyond the initial wrongdoing.
April 2, 2024: Augusta Resident Initiates Civil Lawsuit Claiming Special Olympics Maine Founder Engaged In Grooming And Sexual Abuse
An Augusta resident has initiated a civil lawsuit claiming that the founder of Special Olympics Maine engaged in grooming and sexually abused him over several decades, beginning when he was 9 years old in 1967. The plaintiff, now 65, contends in his legal action that the organization was or should have been aware of the founder’s history of abusive behavior and his inappropriate conduct with children during his tenure at the nonprofit. In response, Special Olympics has launched an investigation into these claims.
The lawsuit, filed in Cumberland County Superior Court, targets both Special Olympics Maine and its Washington, D.C.-based parent organization, Special Olympics Inc. The defendant, who passed away in 2012, had no criminal record in Maine. The plaintiff’s decision to come forward was spurred by a 2021 legal change we discuss in greater detail below that eliminated the statute of limitations for civil claims of childhood sexual abuse. He alleges abuse occurred “dozens, if not hundreds” of times.
February 24, 2024: Former Youth Basketball Coach Affiliated With Bangor Region YMCA At Center Of New Lawsuit
A former youth basketball coach affiliated with the Bangor Region YMCA, previously convicted of sexually assaulting a teenage boy over four decades ago, is at the center of a lawsuit filed by the victim. The suit, lodged in Penobscot Superior Court, accuses the YMCA of failing to protect children in its care by not preventing the assault and argues for the organization’s liability for negligent supervision, sexual assault, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The victim, Wayne Quimby, now 57 and residing in Bangor, asserts that the YMCA had prior knowledge of the coach’s criminal background in simple assault and battery from an incident five years before the assault and neglected to conduct adequate background checks.
December 22, 2024: Maine Supreme Judicial Court Reviewing Challenge To 2021 Law
The Penobscot Judicial Center is a focal point for of sex abuse lawsuits in Maine. A tragic number of people were sexually abused by employees of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, dating as far back as the 1950s. This is not “a lot of people alleged…” This happened.
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court is now reviewing a challenge to the 2021 law that made these sexual assault lawsuits possible. This legislation, as we talk about more below, eliminated the statute of limitations for civil claims of childhood sexual abuse, enabling them to bring forward dozens of lawsuits against both church leaders and the institution itself.
The crux of the court’s discussion centered on the constitutionality of the 2021 law. The law’s enactment followed a legislative decision in 2000 that removed the statute of limitations for such civil claims but initially only for cases alleged to have occurred after 1987. The 2021 amendment further allowed for the revival of previously time-barred claims, regardless of when the abuse occurred. So the court’s ruling in this case is obviously a big deal.
November 11, 2023: Roman Catholic Diocese Of Portland Defense Lawyer Argues Against Maine’s Abolition Of Statute Of Limitation In Certain Sexual Abuse Cases
During oral arguments before the Maine Supreme Court, a lawyer defending sex abuse lawsuits for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland argued against Maine’s law that abolishes the statute of limitations in these cases. The attorney called the law that gives victims a right to seek justice unconstitutional and a precursor to financially crippling litigations that have led other dioceses to declare bankruptcy. On the other side, attorney Michael Bigos, representing roughly 100 plaintiffs, defended the law as a manifestation of public demand for accountability, contrasting sharply with the diocese’s preference to conceal previous misconduct.
Following Maine’s repeal of the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse cases, a surge of new sexual abuse lawsuits emerged. However, these cases are presently paused as the state’s top court reviews the constitutionality of the new 2021 law, which applies retroactively.
June 23, 2023: Settlement Reached In Lawsuit Alleging Forced Labor And Violations Of Trafficking Victims Protection Act
There was a settlement this week in a lawsuit where a 44-year-old woman claims she was lured into a predatory situation under the guise of working part-time on a farm owned by the defendants.
Initially promised $100 per week for tending rabbits, the plaintiff ended up working 12-hour days performing various farm duties, household chores, and even construction work, with no increase in pay. She alleges she endured threats, violence, and was coerced into non-consensual sexual activities.
The lawsuit included claims of forced labor, involuntary servitude, and violations under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. Additionally, it describes severe emotional and physical abuse, sexual exploitation, and unjust enrichment by the defendants.
February 8, 2023: Maine State Court Judge Confirms Legality Of Law Abolishing Statute Of Limitation For Child Sex Abuse Cases
A Maine state court judge confirmed the legality of the new law abolishing the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse cases, enabling survivors to initiate lawsuits for offenses committed decades earlier. This ruling marks a significant victory for survivors seeking justice for long-standing abuses that have impacted every aspect of their lives. But this issue will ultimately be decided by the Maine Supreme Court.
The Definition of Sexual Abuse or Assault in Maine
Under Maine law, sexual assault or battery is defined as any non-consensual sexual touching or contact. Maine’s criminal code defines sexual contact as touching of a person’s intimate parts intentionally done for sexual gratification or arousal. Maine Crim. Code 17-A-11 § 251. Under this broad definition, anything from groping breasts at an office happy hour to forcible rape falls under the definition of sexual assault or abuse.
Two critical elements must be present for something to qualify as sexual battery in Maine: (1) sexual intent, and (2) lack of consent. The first element is sexual intent. The plaintiff must show that the defendant engaged in the unwanted touching for sexual gratification. Accidentally touching someone’s private parts does not count.
The second element is lack of consent. For an intentional touching to qualify as sexual battery, it must be done without consent. Legally, children under the age of 18 do not have the capacity to give consent to sexual touching. This means that any intentional sexual contact with a minor by an adult lacks consent and qualifies as sexual battery.
Filing a Civil Lawsuit for Sex Abuse in Maine
Maine law empowers sex abuse victims to file civil lawsuits and seek financial compensation. The right to bring a civil lawsuit is not contingent on whether the victim pressed criminal charges. Abuse victims can file a civil suit regardless of whether they reported the abuse to the police when it happened. It also doesn’t matter whether the abuser was convicted.
Victims can bring civil lawsuits for sexual abuse as long as they are presently willing to testify under oath about the facts of the alleged sexual abuse or assault. The victim’s testimony can also be supported by other evidence such as medical records or fact testimony from other witnesses.
If you file a sexual abuse lawsuit in Maine, the case will be public record. However, you may be able to keep your name and identity confidential. Maine’s court rules allow victims to keep their name confidential and use “Jane Doe” or initials in the court filings.
Getting Money in Maine Sex Abuse Lawsuits
The most obvious defendant in a civil lawsuit for sexual abuse is the person who committed the abuse. The problem is that in 99% of cases, suing the abuser won’t get you anything because they won’t have the money to pay any verdict or settlement. The only exception to this is if the abuser is very wealthy.
The only way to get actual money compensation in a civil lawsuit for sex abuse is to sue a third party for negligence in connection with the abuse. Common examples of third parties who can be sued in sex abuse lawsuits include schools, youth organizations (e.g., Boy Scouts), gyms, etc. These parties can be held liable in a civil case if the plaintiff can show that their negligence somehow enabled the abuse to occur or to continue. Third parties in sex abuse lawsuits can also be held liable if they attempted to cover up abuse incidents after the fact.
Employers can be held vicariously liable for the tortious acts of their employees if those acts were performed within the scope of employment. However, sexual assault is typically considered outside the scope of employment unless the nature of the employment facilitates the perpetration of such acts.
Let’s consider a very typical example of how third parties can be held liable for sex abuse. Let’s say that a guard at a juvenile detention facility is sexually abusing inmates. Several of these victims file complaints, but the facility basically ignores them and allows the guard to continue his abuse. The victim can file a civil lawsuit against the detention facility (or the County that operates it) for negligently failing to investigate and protect them from abuse.
Maine Statute of Limitations for Sex Abuse Civil Lawsuits
[Update: everything in his section must be updated after a horrible Maine Supreme Court Decision in 2025. See above.]In 2021, Maine’s state legislature passed a new law that retroactively lifted the statute of limitations on civil lawsuits based on childhood sex abuse. This means that victims of childhood sexual abuse in Maine can now file a civil lawsuit no matter how long ago that abuse occurred. Maine’s new SOL has earned a perfect score from the victim advocacy organization. See our State Statute of Limitations Grades.
The law lifting the statute of limitations only applies to sex abuse lawsuits in which the victim was a child. If the abuse occurred when the victim was an adult, the general statute of limitations is still applicable.
Maine also has good law on the defendants that are subject to this law. In civil sex abuse lawsuits, settlement amounts and jury payouts rarely come from the perpetrators of the crime. These lawsuits usually target entities or organizations, such as schools, churches, or employers, for their indirect role in the abuse. Unlike other jurisdictions, Maine’s generous statute of limitations applies to lawsuits against these parties as well.
One Problem with Maine Law
There is one part of Maine’s sex abuse law that is not very good. While Maine has lifted the statute of limitations for filing civil lawsuits related to child sex abuse, the law does not save claims against many public institutions, such as the Long Creek Youth Development Center, which are shielded from these lawsuits by state legislation.
So you have sex abuse lawyers who are approached with strong claims against public schools and other public defendants that they have to turn away because there is little to no path to pursue those claims. The only way to pursue civil abuse lawsuits against public organizations is to allege a civil rights violation. But those claims face stringent criteria and are challenging to advance.
What Maine Sex Abuse Survivors Need to Know in 2025
Maine once had one of the strongest laws in the country for child sexual abuse survivors. A 2021 law allowed victims to file civil lawsuits no matter how long ago the abuse occurred. For a few years, survivors who had suffered in silence for decades finally had a path to justice.
That changed in January 2025 when the Maine Supreme Judicial Court issued a ruling in Dupuis v. Roman Catholic Bishop of Portland, striking down the part of the law that revived previously time-barred cases. The Court said that once a claim expires under the statute of limitations, the Legislature cannot bring it back—even if the abuse happened when the victim was a child and even if there were clear reasons for delayed disclosure.
So Where Does That Leave Survivors Today?
- Cases that were still “open” in 2021—meaning they weren’t already time-barred—can still go forward.
- Abuse that occurred after 1987 may still be actionable under the earlier version of the law that remained valid.
- The 2025 decision only blocks revival of claims that had already expired before the 2021 law passed. If you’re not sure where your case falls, speak to an attorney. It’s not always clear.
- Criminal cases are still allowed at any time. Maine abolished the criminal statute of limitations for child sex abuse in 2020. You can still report abuse to law enforcement, no matter how long ago it happened.
Survivors Suing Institutions: What Still Works
The real money in these lawsuits—money to pay for therapy, lost opportunities, and emotional harm—usually comes from suing institutions that failed to protect you. That includes:
- Churches (like the Diocese of Portland)
- Private schools and camps
- Youth organizations like the YMCA or Boy Scouts
- Residential treatment centers
These third parties can be held legally responsible if they enabled, ignored, or covered up abuse. Maine’s law still allows lawsuits against these defendants. But the timeline depends on when the abuse happened and when you discovered the injury. If the facts are recent or ongoing, you may still have a case even now.
One Big Limitation: Public Institutions
Suing public agencies like the Maine Department of Corrections or Long Creek Youth Development Center is much harder. These entities are shielded under state immunity laws, unless you can bring a federal civil rights claim—something much harder to prove. Many survivors with valid claims against public schools or juvenile facilities may find their cases dismissed on technical grounds. That’s a fight advocates are still working to fix.
What’s Next: Push for a Constitutional Amendment
Lawmakers in Augusta are now considering a constitutional amendment that would give the Legislature the power to revive old sex abuse claims—even those that expired decades ago. If passed, this would go to Maine voters in 2026. Vermont and Maryland have already taken this route, and survivors in Maine are demanding the same right to be heard in court.
The bottom line? The legal landscape has changed, but the movement for justice is far from over. Whether your abuse happened in 1971 or 2017, you deserve answers. You deserve to be heard. And you deserve to know your legal options, no matter how complex the timeline may seem.
Maine Juvenile Detention Center Sex Abuse Lawsuits
Maine, like many other states, is currently grappling with a growing crisis of sexual abuse allegations within juvenile detention centers. Historically, these facilities have often failed to protect vulnerable youth from sexual abuse, resulting in a surge of lawsuits as more victims come forward. This wave of legal action reflects a new, much-needed culture – intolerance of sexual abuses and a push for accountability, even for older cases that were previously overlooked or dismissed. Because those victims are still suffering.
The example juvenile hall sex abuse lawsuit in the updates above underscores the systemic failures you invariably see. Far too often, these detention centers fail in safeguarding the rights and well-being of detained youth. The public response to these cases has been one of outrage and a demand for stricter oversight and reform within the juvenile justice system.
One of the pressing issues in these cases is the statute of limitations, which often restricts survivors’ time to file lawsuits against state entities. There is growing pressure on the Maine legislature to revise these limitations, especially for sexual abuse lawsuits, allowing victims more time to seek compensation and justice.
The increasing visibility of these cases has also highlighted the critical need for better training for staff, comprehensive oversight, and adherence to strict protocols to prevent sexual abuse of what are, no matter how you slice it, vulnerable children. The lawsuits not only seek justice for the victims but also aim to drive systemic changes that can prevent future abuse by putting real pressure on these detention centers to fulfill their role as safe environments for rehabilitation rather than places of further victimization.
Maine’s juvenile detention system primarily consists of two major facilities:
- Long Creek Youth Development Center – Located in South Portland, Long Creek serves as the state’s main juvenile detention and rehabilitation facility. We talk about the 2024 claim against this center above.
- Mountain View Youth Development Center – Situated in Charleston, this facility has historically housed juvenile and adult populations but has shifted its focus primarily to adult inmates in recent years.
Maine Residential Treatment Center Sex Abuse Lawsuits
Residential treatment centers in Maine provide round-the-clock care for youth and adults dealing with substance abuse, mental health disorders, trauma, and behavioral challenges. These facilities often house some of the state’s most vulnerable populations—children in foster care, youth with developmental delays, and patients placed by the courts. While the mission of these centers is rehabilitation and support, the reality is that many have become breeding grounds for abuse due to systemic oversight failures.
These environments are especially susceptible to abuse because they combine a vulnerable population—often with limited ability to advocate for themselves—with adults in positions of authority and control. Tragically, some of the individuals employed by these facilities are not adequately vetted or trained, and in some cases, they should never have been placed in roles of trust. The institutional setting, isolation from the public, and dependency of the residents make it easy for abuse to go undetected or unreported for long periods.
Here are some of the potential defendants:
- Sweetser – Saco, Rockland, Belfast, and Brunswick, ME
- Day One – South Portland, ME
- Spurwink Services – Portland and statewide locations
- New Beginnings – Lewiston, ME
- The Opportunity Alliance – Portland, ME
- KidsPeace New England – Ellsworth, ME
- Milestone Recovery – Portland, ME
- Shalom House – Portland, ME
- Tri-County Mental Health Services – Lewiston, ME
- SequelCare of Maine – Yarmouth, ME (formerly affiliated with the controversial Sequel Youth & Family Services)
Settlement Value of Sex Abuse Lawsuits in Maine
The settlement amounts for Maine sex abuse lawsuits against third parties, such as schools, churches, or corporations, are based on a number of factors. Below is a list of the primary factors that tend to drive the value of these sex abuse cases up or down.
Evidence: The strength and quality of the evidence are the most important factors impacting the value of abuse cases. When there is solid, reliable evidence to substantiate the abuse allegations made by the plaintiff, the case has a much higher expected settlement amount. But sometimes the best evidence is just the testimony of the victim and nothing else.
Severity: The severity and nature of the sexual abuse can also drive the value of the case upward. The frequency and duration of the abuse also come into play here. Lawsuits involving very young victims, violence, or particularly repulsive acts or circumstances will have a higher compensation payout.
Third Party Liability: To have any real settlement value, you need a defendant who can pay a settlement or jury award. So a sex abuse civil lawsuit needs to have a viable negligence claim against a third-party defendant with deep pockets, such as a school, state entity, or church.
Your Lawyer: The experience and skill of the attorneys representing both the victim and the church or company can influence the settlement process and the final settlement amount. The best Maine sex abuse lawyers get higher settlement amounts for their clients.
Maine Sex Abuse Settlements and Verdicts
Prior settlements and verdicts cannot offer an accurate prediction of what your case will be worth. They can help provide a general understanding of the range of potential compensation. Still, they should be considered in conjunction with other case evaluation tools to determine the value of your claim accurately. There are not enough reported settlements and verdicts from Maine to provide a complete picture, so the list below includes out-of-state sex abuse cases.
- $500,000 Verdict (Washington 2021): Plaintiff, a minor student at a special needs school operated by the defendant school district, was sexually abused by a fellow student at the school. The other student had a history of sexual aggression and prior offenses, and the lawsuit alleged that the school was negligent in not taking appropriate precautions.
- $850,000 Settlement (Oregon 2021): Mother filed a complaint with the police department that her toddler was being sexually abused by her father during her joint custody time with him. The complaint was forwarded to the State of Oregon, Department of Human Services (DHS). Despite repeated notices, the lawsuit alleges that DHA failed to protect her daughter from the sexual abuse, which continued for years.
- $200,000 Settlement (Pennsylvania 2017): A female high-school student reportedly suffered severe and ongoing psychological damage as a result of abuse by the district’s basketball team coach. The abuse included 15 sexual encounters that lacked consent because the girl was under 18. Lawsuit alleged that the school district was negligent in failing to protect the plaintiff from the abuse.
- $1,200,000 Settlement (Maine 2016): In August 2016, the Diocese of Portland once again reached a settlement, this time with six men who claimed they were victims of abuse by Rev. James Vallely during their childhood years. The abuse took place from the 1950s to the 1970s. The total settlement amount reached an estimated $1.2 million. Details regarding how the settlement would be divided among the men were not disclosed, as they preferred to keep that information private.
- $210,000 Verdict (Maine 2012): A 20-year-old female suffered emotional distress when she was sexually abused as a child by the male defendant. The plaintiff contended that the defendant sexually molested her and that his negligence caused permanent emotional distress. The defendant denied liability. An additional female was also sexually abused as a child by the male defendant and received an award. The plaintiff’s award included punitive damages.
- $200,000 Settlement (Maine 2009: The Diocese of Portland agreed to a settlement of $200,000 with a woman who had alleged sexual abuse by Rev. James Vallely in 1976 when she was just 11 years old and serving as an altar server at St. Michael’s parish in South Berwick. Unfortunately, Vallely passed away in 1997.
- $750,000 Settlement (Maine 2001): A 15-year-old female suffered severe emotional distress and underlying psychological problems after she was repeatedly and violently sexually abused by the defendant merchant marines. Testimony revealed that the plaintiff suffered a history of early age sexual molestation. The plaintiff testified that she was ‘owned‘ by the defendants and contended that she was forced to perform sexual acts. The maritime academy and other midshipmen settled before trial.
- $1,085,000 Verdict (Maine 2000): An 11-year-old minor male suffered sexual abuse by the third-named defendant scout leader of the co-defendant scout council as a member of the defendant private club. An anonymous letter was sent to the defendant alleging the abuse, and the defendant and the third-named defendant investigated and found no proof of abuse. The abuse took place over one and a half years.
Maine Sex Abuse Case Law
- Doe v. Roman Catholic Bishop of Portland (2023). U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Martin Glenn denied a motion to dismiss filed by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Portland (RCB). The plaintiff, John Doe, alleged he was sexually abused by a teacher in 1948, under the supervision of RCB. RCB sought dismissal, arguing the statute of limitations barred the claims and that the retroactive application of Maine’s Child Victims Act (CVA), which allows for the revival of time-barred sexual abuse claims against minors, infringed upon its vested rights and due process. Judge Glenn found that the plaintiff’s claims could proceed, stating that RCB had not convincingly demonstrated that the CVA’s retroactive application conflicted with the Maine State Constitution. Importantly, the court also rejected the argument that the CVA only applied to human defendants, not organizations, citing the statute’s intention to address actions based on sexual acts towards minors.
Contact Us About Maine Sex Abuse Lawsuits
If you were the victim of sexual abuse and want to file a sex abuse lawsuit in Maine, contact us today at 800-553-8082.