President Biden just signed a law which eliminates federal civil statutes of limitations for child sex abuse victims. The law will not revive any previously time-barred claims but it will apply retroactively to claims which were not already barred by the prior statute of limitation (which gave child sex abuse victims until they were 28… Read More
New Amendments to the Louisiana Crime Victims Bill of Rights
Louisiana Crime Victims Bill of Rights Act Increases Sexual Abuse Survivors’ Access to Evidence and Streamlines the Path to Justice In June 2022, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards signed into law specific amendments to the state’s Crime Victims Bill of Rights. Effective August 1, 2022, these measures are intended to reduce obstacles sexual assault survivors… Read More
Adolescent Sexual Assault: Behaviors to Look for in Teenage Children
In 2017, the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) received reports of 637 cases of child sexual abuse—along with nearly 10,000 reports of child neglect and 2,000 reports of physical abuse. Reporting suspected abuse to DCFS can help children and teenagers get out of harmful situations, but how do you know when to… Read More
Seven Signs You May Have Been Groomed for a Sexual Assault
Child sexual abuse can occur in any location or social situation, including at school, in the home, or while participating in community activities. Most commonly, an adult abuser will engage in a “grooming process” before and during the abuse. This term refers to a pattern of behavior an abuser uses to gain access to a… Read More
Some Recommended Steps You Can Take to Preserve Your Rights if You Are Sexually Assaulted
Here is a reprint of Lamothe Law Firm attorney Kristi Schubert‘s article from August, 2018 on what to do if you have been sexually assaulted. There are no “wrong” ways to respond to a sexual assault or rape. Each individual will go through their own process of psychological recovery. Whether you report a sexual assault… Read More
New Law Helps Child Abuse Survivors Seek Justice and Benefits Society
A new Louisiana law has expanded the time for survivors of child sexual and physical abuse to file civil claims against their abusers and those who enabled the abuse. Re-Opening a Window for Time-Barred Claims Act No. 322 creates a three-year window for survivors of child sexual and physical abuse to file civil claims against… Read More
What to Do After Someone You Care About Has Been Raped
Rape, sexual assault, and sexual abuse are unfortunately all too common. According to the Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault (LaFASA), there are 237,868 incidents of rape in the US every year. Only 40 percent of rapes are reported, and even fewer result in the perpetrator’s conviction. If someone you love has been raped or assaulted,… Read More
Historic Bill Removes Deadlines for Child Sex Survivors to Pursue Claims
The Louisiana State Legislature passed a historic bill yesterday that removes deadlines for child sex abuse victims to pursue damages in civil court. The former time limit for child sex abuse victims was before their 28th birthday. However, the new bill creates a 3 year window where all unresolved child sex abuse claims can be… Read More
Settlement Reached with Diocese of Lafayette for Molestation Perpetrated by Ex-Priest Michael Guidry
The Lamothe Law Firm negotiated a substantial settlement on behalf of our client and his family against the Diocese of Lafayette and ex-priest Michael Guidry. The lawsuit related to abuse during an incident in April of 2015 when our client, who was 16 years old at the time, was molested by Father Michael Guidry, a… Read More
Child Predators Are Everywhere – Even at Christian Camps
Christianity Today recently published this article, Kanakuk Kamps Abuse Reexamined In New Report, about a former Kanakuk director’s sexual abuse of children. Pete Newman worked for 15 years at the Christian camp in Missouri and as many as 57 victims have come forward. There could be hundreds of sexual abuse victims of Newman but because… Read More
