Case Background
Jane Doe, a resident of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, filed a lawsuit against the Rialto Unified School District (RUSD) and her former high school music teacher, Andres Luna. Doe alleged that between 1993 and 1994, while she was a sixteen-year-old student at RUSD, Luna used his position of trust and authority to subject her to sexual harassment and abuse. The legal action proceeded under the California Child Victims Act, which allowed for the revival of claims that were previously barred by time limits.
Cause
The lawsuit originated from the professional relationship between Doe and Luna at RUSD. Doe claimed that Luna initiated a grooming process by frequently speaking with her at school and calling her home to establish a false sense of security. She further alleged that the school district permitted Luna to host music students, including Doe, at his home without supervision. During these private sessions, Luna reportedly moved from sitting beside Doe to inappropriate touching and eventually forced sexual intercourse.
Injury
As a result of the alleged abuse, Doe reported suffering from extensive physical, psychological, and emotional trauma. The long-term effects included severe anxiety, depression, sleeplessness, and chronic feelings of helplessness. She stated that the trauma led to suicidal ideation and caused significant difficulties in maintaining personal relationships and interacting with authority figures later in life.
Damages Sought
Doe sought recovery for a wide range of economic and non-economic losses. Her claims for damages included compensation for mental and emotional distress, past and future medical and psychological treatment costs, and lost wages resulting from the impact of the trauma on her personal and professional development. Additionally, she sought punitive damages specifically against Andres Luna, arguing that his conduct was willful, malicious, and carried out with a conscious disregard for her rights.
Key Arguments and Proceedings
The trial focused on the conduct of Andres Luna and the institutional responsibility of the Rialto Unified School District. Doe's legal team argued that the school district held Luna out to the public as a person of high moral standing while failing to implement safeguards to protect students from potential abuse.
Legal Representation
Plaintiff(s): Jane Doe
Counsel for Plaintiff(s): Elise R. Sanguinetti | Jamie G. Goldstein
Defendant(s): Rialto Unified School District | Andres Luna
Counsel for Defendant(s): Raymond Dolen | Ryan D. Miller | Leah Reaves
Claims
Doe asserted multiple legal grounds for her lawsuit, primarily focusing on the negligence and intentional misconduct of the Defendants.
Negligence and Negligent Supervision Doe alleged that RUSD breached its duty of care by failing to properly hire, train, and supervise Luna. She argued that the district knew or should have known about Luna's inappropriate behavior and failed to restrict his access to minors or warn parents about the potential danger.
Sexual Battery and Assault The complaint included claims of sexual battery and assault against Luna. These claims were based on the physical contact and sexual acts performed on Doe while she was a minor, which she argued occurred without valid legal consent.
Violation of Civil Rights Doe also claimed that the Defendants violated her civil rights under the California Civil Code. She argued that the school district failed to fulfill its mandatory duty to provide a safe and secure learning environment, effectively allowing Luna to abuse his authority.
Defense
Andres Luna denied every allegation in the amended complaint and contested Doe’s claims for damages. He raised several affirmative defenses, asserting that any damages Doe suffered were caused by other parties or her own actions rather than his conduct. He also argued that an award for punitive damages would violate his constitutional rights, citing protections against double jeopardy and the right to a unanimous jury. The school district generally defended its supervision and hiring practices, maintaining that it had not ratified or authorized any illegal conduct by its employee.
Jury Verdict
On April 9, 2026, a San Bernardino Superior Court jury held Rialto Unified School District liable for negligence by its employees, who failed to supervise Jane Doe properly as a student at Eisenhower High School in 1994-1995, and ruled this caused her substantial harm. The panel also found the district negligent in supervising, training, or retaining Andres Luna, deeming that lapse a key factor in her injuries. They awarded $6,000,000 for her past non-economic losses including pain, mental suffering, anguish, lost enjoyment of life, fright, nervousness, grief, anxiety, worry, humiliation, shame, and lost trust plus $3,000,000 for the same future losses, for a total of $9,000,000 in damages while assigning 60% fault to the district and 40% to Luna.
Court documents are available upon request at [email protected]
