More Settlements

*Oralee Anderson-Francois v. County of Sonoma
$450,000 Settlement
Wrongful removal of children.

*Lori Beltran v. County of Santa Clara –
no settlement, eventual loss on motion for summary judgment, but see 9th Circuit Court of Appeal notes below.

*Doe v. Betsy Warren Lebbos –
interference with familial association. See 9th Circuit Court of Appeal notes below.

*Preslie Hardwick v. [County of Orange] Vreeken –
no settlement, eventual loss on motion for summary judgment, but see 9th Circuit Court of Appeal notes below.

Sammy Amin v. County of San Mateo / Redwood City -
$145,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of children.

Randi Bradley v. County of Sonoma - $450,000 –
Settlement including policy/training changes. Wrongful removal of child.

*Melissa Burke v. County of Alameda - $125,000 –
Settlement Wrongful removal of child claim, settled on unconstitutional policies/practices.

Angel Clokey v. County of Sacramento - Settlement –
Amount Unknown Wrongful removal of children.

Estate of Emerald Rose Herriot v. County of Mendocino –
$100,000 Settlement Death of infant in
foster care.

Helen Fullilove v. County of Los Angeles - $340,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of children.

*Matt Fredenburg v. County of Santa Clara / City of Milpitas -
$350,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of children.

Kristine French v. County of Riverside / City of San Jacinto -
$490,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of children.

Donna Fryer v. County of Santa Clara -
$425,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of children.

Gina Gonzales v. County of San Bernardino -
$170,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of children.

Francis Guevara v. County (and City) of Los Angeles -
$148,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of child.

Ricky Monteilh v. County of Los Angeles / City of West Covina -
$365,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of child.

Linda Morales v. County of Mendocino -
$325,000 Settlement (After Verdict) Wrongful removal of child.

Joslyn Hammers v. County of Sacramento -
450,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of children.

Michelle Herrold v. County of San Bernardino -
$?? Wrongful removal of children.

Lori Ibrahim v. County of Los Angeles -
$700,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of children.

Gayle Leier v. County of San Benito -
$300,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of children. Taren

Masoud v. County of San Joaquin -
$250,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of children. Jenny

McCreadie v. County of Riverside -
$350,000 Settlement (after Verdict) Wrongful removal of children.

McLaughlin v. County of El Dorado -
$210,885 Settlement Wrongful removal of children.

Tricia McLinden v. County of Sacramento -
$600,000 Wrongful removal of child.

*Charles Mikich v. City & County of San Francisco -
$125,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of child.

Edward Olvera v. County of Sacramento -
$600,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of children.

Tracy Watson v. County of Santa Clara / San Jose P.D. -
$649,328 Verdict &Attorney Fees Wrongful removal of children. Original jury verdict of $3,250,000, reversed by trial judge (found punitive damages award of $1,250,000 “excessive”); second trial verdict $210,000, but with over $400,000 attorney fee & costs award.

Nicholas Rodoni v. County of Santa Clara -
$200,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of children.

*Michael Lewis v. County of San Diego –
$530,000 Verdict + Attorney Fees & Costs Wrongful removal of children.

Christina Turner v. County of Riverside -
$450,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of children.

Jonathan Welch v. County of Sacramento -
$300,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of children.

Xoss v. County of Los Angeles -
$800,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of children.

Jill Randall v. County of Orange -
$325,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of child.

Sonya Wolf v. County of San Joaquin -
$390,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of child.

Charlie Wittman v. County of Santa Clara -
$200,000 Settlement 1st Amendment violations – forced separation of partners by CPS

Joseph Henao v. County of Sacramento -
$400,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of child.

Anne McNelis v. County of El Dorado -
$400,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of children.

Heather Graves-Sauer v. County of El Dorado -
$600,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of children.

Mark Risso v. County of El Dorado / City of Placerville -
$150,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of child.

Danielle Pollar v. County of Alameda / City of Hayward -
$230,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of child.

Evelyn Pena v. County of Los Angeles -
$165,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of children.

Anna Nikolayev v. County of Sacramento / City of Sacramento -
$350,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of child.

Taylor Webb v. County of Stanislaus -
$600,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of child.

Faun O’Neel v. City of Folsom -
$400,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of children.

Sukhendra Singh v. County of Alameda -
$135,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of child.

Peter Singleton v. County of Santa Clara / City of Menlo Park -
$240,000 Settlement

Baker v. County of Los Angeles -
$250,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of children.

Sara Dees v. County of San Diego -
$200,000 – Settlement Wrongful removal of children.

Allen Tate v. County of Kern –
$200,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of children.

*Rachel Ziegler v. County of Riverside -
$700,000 Settlement Wrongful removal of children.

*Rachel Scanlon v. County of Los Angeles –
trial verdict as to one child against Plaintiffs, 9th Circuit Court of Appeal notes below reversing Defendants motion for summary judgment on other child.

Other Civil Rights
Wally Wetter v. City of Napa -
$70,000 Settlement Unlawful seizure.

Leopold Manzo v. County of Santa Clara -
$65,000 Unconstitutional treatment in County jail of disabled inmate.

Aaron Steward v. County of Santa Clara -
$ Verdict & Attorney Fees/Costs Excessive force in County jail.

Matthew Peyton v. County of Santa Clara -
$295,000 1st Amendment Retaliation against Plaintiff for political affiliation with opposing Sheriff candidate.

Thomas Sandoval v. County of Santa Clara -
$350,000 Settlement False child abuse claims.

Raquel Gonzalez v. Pace Solano -
$550,000 Settlement Wrongful death in mental health facility.


Accident 9TH CIRCUIT OPINIONS
Lori Beltran v. County of Santa Clara –
no absolute immunity for social workers, only qualified immunity. Doe v. Betsy Warren Lebbos – Granting defendant social worker absolute immunity; a “loss” reversed by Beltran v. County of Santa Clara five years later.

Preslie Hardwick v. [County of Orange] Vreeken –
no qualified immunity for perjury / false evidence by social workers in juvenile dependency proceedings.

Melissa Burke v. County of Alameda –
failure to promptly contact and transfer child to non-offending parent in non-intact family unit upon child abuse concerns is constitutional violation.

Charles Mikich v. City and County of San Francisco –
decision to remove child 24 hours before release to parents from hospital lacked imminent risk of serious bodily injury to child.

Michael Lewis v. County of San Diego –
Judgment as matter of law finding social worker caused 4th Amendment injury, full attorney fees award warranted & not abuse of discretion, and Monell finding by jury in District Court not properly or timely appealed by County, all affirmed.

Rachel Ziegler v. County of Riverside –
Genuine issues of fact preclude summary judgment in warrantless removal of homeless children initially, and in subsequent removal upon return during juvenile court proceedings.

Brigit Barnes v. County of Placer –
Granting qualified immunity due not clearly established for failing to contact other legal guardian of child being considered for removal; reversed by Melissa Burke v. County of Alameda

John Springer v. County of Placer – court affirmed summary judgment against Plaintiffs

Oralee Anderson-Francois v. County of Sonoma -
suit was not barred by issue preclusion due juvenile court detention orders, no qualified immunity for detective or social worker, no jurisdiction to consider county's appeal.

Angela Nunes v. Arata, Swingle, Van Egmond & Goodwin –
Reversed District Court order in favor of Plaintiffs, holding rights to juvenile proceeding records were not “clearly established,” thus granting qualified immunity for distribution by County Counsel of juvenile dependency Court documents without having undertaken W&IC 827 process.

Sara Dees v. County of San Diego –
District Court findings of judgment as matter of law in favor of Plaintiffs, sending of letter with falsehoods to minor’s school, 4th and 14th Amendment violations for child and mother (respectively) reversed, but affirming trial court’s grant of new trial request by Plaintiffs.

Rachel Scanlon v. County of Los Angeles –
Not counsel on appeal – but counsel from filing, through discovery & summary judgment motion by Defendants, and through trial on one daughter of two. Motion for Summary Judgment issues on appeal, submitted June 15th, 2023 by other counsel. Decided reverse summary judgment for Defendants on discovery & deposition testimony by this office; Scanlon v. County of Los Angeles, 92 F. 4th 781 - 2024 - ‎C

Matt Fredenburg v. County of Santa Clara / City of Milpitas –
Reversal of summary judgment for Defendants, no qualified immunity when fail to investigate / place children with non-offending parent.