Los Angeles County experienced a significant surge in lawsuits, hitting an all-time high of 2,675 filed cases last fiscal year. This increase was largely attributed to child sex abuse claims against various departments, especially the Department of Children and Family Services. Despite the rise in lawsuits, overall legal costs fell to $220 million, partly due to settling earlier high-profile cases. Nonetheless, expenditures on outside attorneys grew by 18% to $75 million, emphasizing the ongoing legal challenges and the county's efforts to mitigate future litigation risks.
"We take these matters seriously and are continuously striving to minimize the risk of lawsuits through proactive and preventive measures," the Sheriff's Department said.
The number of new lawsuits against the county rose to 2,675 in the last fiscal year - about 400 more than the prior year.
Both the Probation and Children and Family Services departments have been hit with thousands of lawsuits in recent years alleging that children were sexually abused in foster homes.
The amount the county paid to outside attorneys rose 18% from the previous year to $75 million, nearly double what was spent four years ago.
#lawsuits #child-abuse #los-angeles-county #legal-spending #department-of-children-and-family-services
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