Opinion ID: 1711814
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: child sexual abuse exception

Text: Notably, some courts have created specific exceptions to the parental immunity doctrine for sexual abuse cases. [11] See, e.g., Henderson v. Woolley, 230 Conn. 472, 644 A.2d 1303 (1994); Hurst v. Capitell, 539 So.2d 264, 266 (Ala.1989); Doe v. Holt, 332 N.C. 90, 418 S.E.2d 511 (1992); Wilson v. Wilson, 742 F.2d 1004, 1005 (6th Cir.1984). However, courts have sometimes reached different conclusions depending on whether such claims are raised in a negligence or intentional tort context. [12] For instance, in Robinson v. Robinson, 323 Ark. 224, 914 S.W.2d 292 (1996), a child brought an intentional tort suit against her father based on sexual abuse committed during her minority and a separate negligence claim against her mother for failing to prevent such abuse. The child prevailed at trial. See id. at 293. Upon review, the Arkansas Supreme Court held that it would continue to recognize parental immunity for negligence claims. See id. at 293. However, while remanding for a new trial, the court nevertheless allowed the intentional tort suit to go forward, recognizing that under Arkansas law, parental immunity does not preclude minors from suing their parents for willful and wanton sexual abuse. See id. Similarly, in McGee v. McGee, 936 S.W.2d 360 (Tex.App.1996), the Texas court recognized an exception to the parental immunity doctrine for the minor's claims of intentional sexual assault, while holding that the negligence claims were barred by the doctrine. [13] See id. at 367. Other courts have not only permitted intentional tort claims but also those based on negligence against a parent for not protecting the child or preventing the sexual abuse. See Spikes v. Banks, 231 Mich. App. 341, 586 N.W.2d 106, 112 (1998) (stating that foster parent's failure to prevent sexual abuse by parent's nephew was not an exercise of reasonable parental discretion and therefore parent was not entitled to avail herself of the parental immunity doctrine); Phillips v. Deihm, 213 Mich. App. 389, 541 N.W.2d 566 (1995) (finding that grandfather's wife's failure to act to prevent the sexual abuse by grandfather against minor was not a reasonable exercise of parental discretion; therefore, wife was not entitled to parental immunity). It is apparent that courts have expressed a special concern about the continued application of the parental immunity doctrine to defeat intentional sexual abuse claims. For example, in Hurst, a minor sued her stepfather and natural mother for damages based on sexual abuse. See Hurst, 539 So.2d at 265. In allowing the suits to proceed, the court created an exception for sexual abuse cases, explaining: [T]o leave children who are victims of such wrongful, intentional, heinous acts [sexual abuse acts] without a right to redress those wrongs in a civil action is unconscionable, especially where the harm to the family fabric has already occurred through that abuse. Id. at 266. Similarly, the Supreme Court of Connecticut conducted a comprehensive reevaluation of the doctrine in Henderson, and, relying primarily on the authority of Hurst and Doe, declared: [W]e do not believe that the purpose of the doctrine would be served by extending it to shield a parent from a civil action alleging sexual abuse. Familial discord or dysfunction obviously exists where parental sexual abuse occurs. Therefore, the purpose of the preservation of family harmony cannot justify immunity in the case of sexual abuse of a child by a parent. Furthermore, there is a point at which parental conduct properly becomes a matter of public concern, and sexual abuse, assault and exploitation are well within that realm. When a parent perpetrates such a crime upon his or her child, that act constitutes a breach of duty owed not only to the child, but to the public at large, and there is no reason to immunize such conduct from a civil action in damages merely because of the familial relationship. Henderson, 644 A.2d at 1307 (citations omitted). Further, in response to the often-cited premise from Hewellette that minors can obtain redress through the criminal justice system, the court noted: [R]edress is not necessarily available for this type of misconduct through the criminal justice system [because] [t]he conduct may not be brought to the attention of the state within the time limits of the criminal statute of limitations because of the child's continued dependency on the parent. Also, the child may not recognize the wrong for many years because children often accept unquestioningly the actions of their parents. Finally, as in the present case, the plaintiff may allege facts that are claimed to have been blocked from conscious memory for many years. Id. (footnote omitted).