Statute of Limitations
California civil SOL for sexual assault: 10 years from date of assault OR 3 years from date of discovery, whichever is later (Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 340.16(a)). Minority tolling applies. The 2022 lookback window under AB 2777 extended previously time-barred claims and is now closed.
10 years from date of assault or 3 years from discovery (whichever is later)
Where to File in California
Federal Consolidation — Uber MDL 3084 (N.D. Cal.): Uber rideshare sexual assault claims are consolidated in the Northern District of California as MDL No. 3084, In re Uber Technologies, Inc., Passenger Sexual Assault Litigation, before Judge Charles R. Breyer in San Francisco. With over 100,000 plaintiffs, this is one of the largest personal-injury MDLs in U.S. history. California plaintiffs are directly at home in this forum and benefit from close proximity to Uber's San Francisco headquarters for discovery purposes.
State Court Consolidation — Lyft JCCP 5029: Lyft sexual assault claims are coordinated in California state court under Judicial Council Coordination Proceeding No. 5029, In re Lyft Rideshare Cases, before Judge Ethan Schulman in San Francisco Superior Court. The JCCP allows California plaintiffs to litigate against Lyft in a single, well-managed forum with shared discovery and streamlined motion practice.
California Statute of Limitations: California Code of Civil Procedure § 340.16 provides a 10-year statute of limitations for civil claims arising from sexual assault occurring on or after January 1, 2019. For assaults before that date, a three-year discovery rule applies. California's Adult Survivors Act (eff. Jan. 1, 2023) opened a one-year lookback window that has now closed; claims not filed during that window remain subject to the standard 10-year period for post-2019 assaults.
California Rideshare Safety Regulations: California Public Utilities Commission Decision 13-09-045 and subsequent Transportation Network Company regulations require TNC drivers to undergo national criminal background checks and prohibit drivers with felony convictions, sex offender registration, or DUI within the past seven years. AB 5 and related legislation strengthened driver classification oversight. California law also mandates that TNCs report sexual assault incidents to the CPUC annually, giving plaintiffs a powerful regulatory record for discovery.
Exposure in California
Source: Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 340.16
Source: Uber U.S. Safety Report 2022
Source: California Victim Compensation Board
Clinics & Specialists in California
UCSF Medical Center — San Francisco SANE Program
Bay Area Women Against Rape (BAWAR)
Your Legal Team
Sarah Mitchell
Senior Partner
Los Angeles, CA
Sarah Mitchell has dedicated 18 years of practice to representing survivors of sexual violence in civil litigation, with a focus on institutional accountability claims against corporations, educational institutions, and now rideshare platforms. She serves as liaison counsel in the Uber Passenger Sexual Assault MDL (N.D. California) and has been recognized by the National Crime Victim Bar Association for her survivor-centered approach to complex litigation. Sarah works closely with trauma therapists and victim advocates to ensure the legal process supports rather than re-traumatizes her clients. Her cases have produced over $85 million in recoveries for sexual assault survivors.
Education
- J.D., UC Berkeley School of Law (2008)
- B.A., Women's Studies and Political Science, Stanford University (2005)