Franciscan Friars of California Reached a $20 Million Settlement. Survivors Still Have Time to File.

Reviewed by Abuse Justice Center · Updated 2026-07-09

What the Franciscan Friars Settlement Means for Survivors

The Franciscan Friars of California, a Roman Catholic religious order operating institutions throughout the state, resolved sexual abuse civil claims through a $20 million settlement reached through bankruptcy court proceedings. Settlements of this type are reached when a religious institution faces a volume of claims that it addresses collectively through a structured process, with individual survivors submitting claims evaluated against established criteria.

For survivors of abuse connected to Franciscan Friars institutions - schools, parishes, retreat centers, or other facilities operated by the Order in California - this settlement represents one avenue of civil accountability. Survivors who submitted claims in the bankruptcy process are part of that resolution. Survivors who have not yet spoken with an attorney may still have options under California law, depending on the nature of their claim, the timeline of their abuse, and whether the current lookback window applies to their situation.

The settlement is significant not only for what it provides to survivors who are part of it, but for what it signals about the continued exposure of institutions that enabled abuse. Clergy abuse civil litigation in California has generated billions of dollars in settlements and verdicts over the past two decades, and cases continue to be resolved as survivors come forward during open window periods. The Franciscan Friars settlement adds to a documented pattern of institutional accountability that has accelerated in California under expanded civil law.

The California AB2777 Deadline and What It Means Right Now

California AB2777, the Adult Survivors Act, created a one-time lookback window that allows survivors of adult sexual assault to bring civil claims regardless of when the abuse occurred. The window applies to claims that would otherwise be time-barred - meaning claims where the standard statute of limitations had already run. This window closes December 31, 2026.

For survivors of childhood sexual abuse in California, a separate statute - AB218 - already eliminated the civil statute of limitations for claims arising from childhood abuse. Childhood abuse survivors in California face no time deadline under state law and can file at any point. AB218 is permanent legislation, not a temporary window.

The AB2777 window applies specifically to adults who were assaulted as adults - sexual assault that occurred when the survivor was 18 or older, where the perpetrator was an individual or institution covered by the law's provisions. If you experienced sexual abuse as an adult in California and have not yet pursued a civil claim, the December 31, 2026 deadline is the most urgent date on the calendar. Consulting with a sexual abuse attorney before that date costs nothing upfront and takes far less time than most survivors expect.

How Civil Claims Work and What to Expect When You Call a Lawyer

Sexual abuse civil attorneys in California work exclusively on contingency. That means you pay no legal fees unless your case results in a settlement or verdict in your favor. The initial consultation - where you describe your experience, the attorney evaluates your claim, and both parties decide whether to move forward - is free. There is no commitment required and no out-of-pocket cost at any stage unless your case is won.

A civil claim does not require a prior criminal conviction, a police report, or any prior legal action against the institution or individual involved. Civil cases are governed by a different standard of proof than criminal cases. A jury in a civil case decides by preponderance of the evidence - meaning more likely than not - rather than the beyond-a-reasonable-doubt standard that governs criminal trials. This lower evidentiary threshold means civil cases can move forward and succeed even when criminal prosecution has not occurred or has not resulted in conviction.

When you speak with a sexual abuse attorney, they will ask about the basic facts of your experience, the institution or individual involved, the approximate timeframe, and whether you have any documentation. They will evaluate whether your claim falls within an open window, what damages you may be entitled to recover, and how similar claims have been resolved. You are under no obligation to continue after that conversation. The attorney works for you.

Why This Is the Moment to Act

Institutional sexual abuse cases in California have never had a more favorable legal environment. AB218 and AB2777 together mean that a large portion of survivors who previously had no civil remedy - because the statute of limitations had expired - now have an open path to civil accountability. That path does not remain open indefinitely.

The AB2777 window closes in five months. Legal intake, case evaluation, and filing take time. Waiting until November or December to contact a lawyer for the first time creates pressure that waiting until now does not. Attorneys handling sexual abuse cases in California are actively accepting new clients, the courts are processing these cases, and institutions are negotiating settlements with survivors who are represented by counsel.

The Franciscan Friars settlement is one example of what institutional accountability looks like when survivors come forward and are represented. It is not the last such settlement. Other religious orders, schools, youth programs, and institutions are facing active litigation throughout California. The question for survivors who have not yet spoken with a lawyer is not whether they have a claim - only an attorney can evaluate that. The question is whether they will use the time that California law has given them.

5 Things California Survivors Should Know Before the AB2777 Deadline

If you are considering a civil claim in California, these are the facts that matter most before the December 31, 2026 deadline.

1. The December 31, 2026 deadline is real and final: AB2777 created a one-time window. When it closes, claims that were previously time-barred become time-barred again. There is no indication that California will extend or reopen this window. If your abuse occurred when you were an adult in California, this is the only window you will have under AB2777.
2. You do not need a police report or criminal conviction: Civil cases operate on a different legal standard than criminal prosecution. Your attorney does not need a prior criminal case, a prior report, or any documentation beyond your account and any corroborating evidence you may have. Many successful civil cases involve abuse that was never criminally prosecuted.
3. Institutions, not just individuals, can be held liable: Civil claims can name the institution that employed, supervised, or enabled the perpetrator, not only the individual who committed the abuse. Religious orders, schools, hospitals, and other organizations can be defendants in California sexual abuse civil litigation.
4. Contingency fee arrangements mean no financial risk to consult: Sexual abuse attorneys do not charge hourly fees. They work on contingency - they receive a percentage of any recovery. If your case does not result in a settlement or verdict, you owe nothing. There is no financial reason to delay speaking with an attorney.
5. Your account alone is the starting point: The attorney handles case evaluation and evidence development. You do not need to have documents, photos, witnesses, or records ready before making a call. Your account of what happened is sufficient to begin the conversation with a lawyer.

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