Lawsuit Information Center
On this page, we will examine civil lawsuits involving the sexual abuse of juvenile inmates at the WJ Maxey Boys Trainings School in Michigan. Recent investigations have revealed that juvenile inmates at the Maxey School were often the victims of sexual abuse and assault by staff members and other inmates. The state of Michigan is now being sued by victims for negligently enabling this abuse to occur.
If you have a potential sex abuse lawsuit against Maxey School, our Michigan sex abuse lawyers today at 800-553-8082 or get a free online consultation.
About the Maxey Training School
W.J. Maxey Boys Training School was a juvenile correctional facility operated by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (“MDH”). The Maxey School was located in Whitmore Lake, Michigan.
The Maxey School housed male juvenile inmates between the ages of 12 and 21. The facility had the capacity to accommodate up to 60 juvenile inmates at a time. Juveniles sent to Maxey included those who required a higher security detention environment.
Maxey School provided a variety of specialized rehabilitation and treatment services to inmates. These included substance abuse treatment, and behavioral health treatment services. Maxey also provided a full educational program for its juvenile inmates.
Michigan Closes Maxey School
Starting in the early 2000s, the Maxey School came under intense scrutiny and criticism for mistreatment of juvenile inmates. In April 2004, the US Department of Justice issued a report which found that juvenile inmates at Maxey School were frequently subjected to physical and sexual abuse by staff members at the facility. In response to that report, the state agreed to make certain corrections.
Despite the attempts at reform, however, the Maxey School continued to be a place where juvenile inmates were at risk of being victims of sexual abuse and assault. In 2015, the Maxey School was shut down by the state. The shut down was part of a statewide change in which Michigan closed all of its state-run juvenile facilities and shifted to placing juvenile offenders in privately run facilities.
Victims of Sexual Abuse at Maxey School Can File Civil Lawsuits
Anyone who was a victim of sexual abuse or assault while they were a juvenile inmate at Maxey School can file a civil lawsuit against MDH and the state of Michigan for negligently failing to protect them from the abuse. MDH and the state had a legal duty to ensure that juvenile inmates at Maxey School were reasonably safe and protected from sexual assault and abuse, particularly by staff members, by also by other inmates.
There is a growing wealth of evidence from various investigations, reports, and lawsuits, which definitively shows that MDH and the state were chronically negligent with respect to this duty. MDH negligently failed to adopt safeguards and other measures that could have protected inmates from abuse. MDH and its administrators also ignored reports and formal complaints of abuse by juvenile inmates, or negligently failed to investigate. Many victims have already filed Michigan juvenile sex abuse lawsuits.
Definition of Sexual Abuse in Michigan
Under Michigan law, any sexual touching made without consent is considered to be sexual abuse. Juveniles (under the age of 18) lack the legal capacity to consent to sexual contact with an adult, so any sexual contact with a juvenile inmate at Maxey School would meet the definition of sexual abuse, even if the juvenile appeared to consent.
Compensation for Maxey School Abuse Lawsuits
Victims of sexual abuse at Maxey School can get financial compensation for the emotional pain and suffering caused by the abuse. Settlement values in these types of cases can easily be several hundred thousand or more. Below are some of the primary factors that impact the settlement value of these cases.
- Nature and Severity of Abuse: The nature and level of severity of the acts of sexual abuse is the most compelling factor in determining the value of case. Cases involving very severe or violent acts of abuse over long time period have a higher value.
- Impact on Victim: If the victim can show that the sexual abuse had a negative long term impact on his or her life it will push the settlement value higher.
- Age: If the victim particularly young and more vulnerable at the time that the abuse occurred, it will usually drive the settlement value of the case higher.
- Evidence: Most abuse cases are supported only by the testimony of the victim. However, if the victim has other proof to substantiate their claims it can increase the value of the case.
Contact Us About Maxey School Sex Abuse Lawsuits
If you were sexually abused at the Maxey Training School in Michigan, call our sex abuse lawyers at 800-553-8082 or contact us online for a free case evaluation.