Attorneys for a woman identified in court papers as S.M. were back in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, asking a judge to sign off on a $300,000 settlement with the Los Angeles Unified School District over alleged sexual abuse she says occurred in 2016 while she was a special-education student. The motion landed in the courtroom of Judge Richard L. Fruin, who decided he was not ready to rule and continued the matter to July 15, 2026, for more review. If the deal ultimately gets the green light, it would wrap up civil claims that have been pending since 2018 and that are tied to criminal charges against a former campus aide.
According to the Los Angeles Daily News, the proposed $300,000 settlement would leave S.M. with about $178,400 after medical expenses are deducted. Court papers say her attorneys detailed the payout breakdown and medical liens in the petition that asks Fruin to approve the compromise. The filings tie the underlying incident to her time as a student at David W. Griffith Middle School.
Criminal case and conviction
Prosecutors linked the civil claim to a criminal case involving Joshua Jacob Estrada, a teacher’s assistant at Griffith Middle School who was arrested after school staff reported inappropriate touching in 2016. In 2018, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced that Estrada pleaded no contest to five counts of contacting a minor to commit a sexual offense. According to the DA’s release, deputies opened an investigation after administrators reported the conduct, and Estrada then faced sentencing and related court-ordered measures.
Civil suit history
The civil lawsuit was first filed in May 2018 and has since generated contested pretrial motions and appellate filings, according to court records. In documents reviewed by the parties and submitted to higher courts, attorneys describe S.M. as a learning-disabled student who reported being groped in late 2016. The matter is recorded as Los Angeles Superior Court case no. BC704733. As the case moved toward trial and appeals, the district has continued to dispute the evidence and has raised a series of legal defenses.
LAUSD attorneys have denied S.M.’s allegations and argued that her claims are barred by the statute of limitations, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. That legal fight is unfolding against a wider backdrop of sexual-misconduct litigation, as the district in recent months has authorized large-scale borrowing to help cover potential abuse settlements and related liabilities, a financial strategy described by the Los Angeles Times.
What courts look for in these petitions
Because the case involves allegations tied to a student with disabilities, any settlement typically needs a judge’s approval, along with a clear accounting of medical liens, attorney fees and other deductions. California procedures that govern compromises for minors and adults with disabilities, including provisions in the Probate Code and the California Rules of Court, require petitioners to spell out medical expenses and any negotiated reductions so the judge can decide whether the deal is fair and in the claimant’s best interest. Guides that summarize the approval process note that judges usually expect declarations, supporting records and a full financial breakdown before they will sign off.
Judge Fruin has set a July 15 hearing to allow more briefing and a closer look at the numbers before issuing a decision on the petition. If the court approves the compromise, the settlement would resolve S.M.’s claims against the district. If the court refuses, the parties would be pushed back toward more litigation or another round of negotiations. For now, both sides have told the court they will return with additional paperwork when the matter comes back on calendar.
