N.G. v. Cnty. of San Diego
Decision Date | 28 December 2020 |
Docket Number | D076539 |
Citation | 273 Cal.Rptr.3d 253,59 Cal.App.5th 63 |
Court | California Court of Appeals Court of Appeals |
Parties | N.G., Petitioner and Appellant, v. COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO, Respondent. |
Gilleon Law Firm and James C. Mitchell, San Diego, for Petitioner and Appellant.
Thomas E. Montgomery, County Counsel, Melissa M. Holmes and Alexa Katz, Deputy County Counsel, for Respondent.
N.G. appeals from a judgment denying her petition under Government Code section 946.6,1 in which she sought relief from the requirement in the Government Claims Act (§ 810 et seq.) that she timely file a claim with the County of San Diego (the County) prior to bringing a suit for damages.
N.G.'s proposed claim against the County arises from an alleged sexual assault by San Diego County Deputy Sheriff Richard Fischer. N.G.'s petition for relief alleged that due to the emotional trauma and psychological difficulties faced by victims of sexual assaults committed by law enforcement officers, which can cause those victims to delay in coming forward, her failure to file a timely claim should be excused due to mistake or excusable neglect.
We conclude that the trial court was within its discretion to conclude that N.G. did not establish mistake or excusable neglect to support her petition for relief from the claim filing requirement. Accordingly, we affirm the judgment.
On June 25, 2018, N.G. submitted a proposed claim for damages to the County, alleging that Fischer sexually assaulted her on October 5, 2017. As N.G. acknowledges, the claim was submitted 81 days after the six-month period for filing a claim expired. Accordingly, N.G. also filed an application for leave to file a late claim. On June 28, 2018, the County denied leave to file a late claim.
According to the claim that N.G. submitted to the County, she was driving to a motel with her 12-year-old daughter after an argument with her husband on October 5, 2017. Fischer, along with two other deputies, pulled over N.G. because N.G.'s husband had falsely reported that N.G. was driving while under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Fischer later called N.G.'s cell phone and then showed up at her motel room, explaining that he wanted to check on N.G.'s daughter. Fischer asked N.G. to go into the motel room's bathroom with him, where he closed the door and hugged N.G., telling her she was gorgeous. Fischer then told N.G. he had to leave, but he would call later. At around 11:00 p.m., Fischer called N.G. and then arrived at her motel room. Fischer directed N.G. to come into the bathroom with him, where he hugged and groped her, "dry hump[ed]" her, and then put his hand down her pants. Fischer decided to leave, but as he exited Fischer said, When Fischer asked N.G. if he could call her again, N.G. told him she might not have the same phone number after her husband "turn[ed] off" her phone. Fischer said, "I know how to find you." According to N.G., "[t]his scared [her] very much" and she "has been paranoid to this day because he made that comment." Fischer did not make any further contact with N.G.
On October 1, 2018, N.G. filed a petition with the trial court pursuant to section 946.6 for relief from the requirement that she file a timely claim with the County prior to pursuing a suit for damages. N.G. alleged that her failure to file a timely claim was the result of excusable neglect or mistake.
N.G. filed a declaration in support of her petition. The declaration set forth the same facts about Fischer's conduct described in N.G.'s submission to the County, along with an explanation of why she delayed in filing a claim. N.G. explained,
N.G. explained her reason for ultimately contacting a lawyer and attempting to file a claim with the County. N.G. also stated that until she sought legal advice, she was unaware of the six-month claim filing deadline.
N.G.'s petition was also supported by a declaration from Carlton Hershman, a retired police detective with substantial experience in sex crime investigations, who now owns a business called Sexual Assault Training and Consulting. Hershman stated:
Hershman also explained,
Hershman stated that, based on his reading of N.G.'s declaration, he believed that "the reasons N.G. has given for not reporting the October 5, 2017 sexual assault by Fischer until mid-June 2018, after she saw media reports about other victims, were reasonable under the circumstances" and that she acted "in a way that a reasonably prudent sexual assault victim would have acted under the same circumstances." Specifically, Hershman focused on (1) N.G.'s fear that Fischer would re-contact her; (2) Fischer's warning that "there will be trouble for everyone"; (3) N.G.'s concern for her emotional well-being and that of her daughter; and (4) N.G.'s belief that no one would believe her over a law enforcement officer.2
After holding a hearing and considering the parties' briefing, the trial court issued a ruling denying the petition and entered judgment in favor of the County.
In its ruling, the trial court first set forth the applicable legal precedent and summarized N.G.'s arguments: The trial court then explained its decision to deny the petition:
N.G. filed a timely notice of appeal from the trial court's judgment.
The Government Claims Act (§ 810 et seq.) provides, as a general rule, that no suit for money or damages may be maintained against a public entity unless a timely written claim has first been presented to it.4 (§ 945.4; DiCampli-Mintz v. County of Santa Clara (2...
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