Private Law Theory

Tort claims for the coverup of child sexual abuse exemplify the use of civil litigation as an effective response to serious corporate misconduct. This Article analyzes how tort claims against Catholic dioceses, the Boy Scouts of America, and USA Gymnastics empowered child sexual abuse survivors to hold powerful institutional leaders accountable for covering up and facilitating the abuse. The Article demonstrates the importance of access to civil justice when corporate interests capture law enforcement and administrative agencies, as well as the therapeutic value of the litigation process for victims of traumatic injury.

Timothy D Lytton, Tort Claims for the Coverup of Child Sexual Abuse: Private Litigation, Corporate Accountability, and Institutional Reform, 72 DePaul Law Review 289 (2023). Online 10 May 2023.