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Schools Sexual Abuse Attorneys in Wilmington
Over one-third of registered sex offenders in New Hanover County live within a one-mile radius of an elementary school. We know this because of publicly available information on the NC Bureau of Investigation’s Sex Offender Registry and information we have gathered during private investigations.
At Rhine Law Firm, P.C., we represent current and former students who survived sexual assault and exploitation at the hands of teachers Michael Kelly and Peter Frank. Along with The Lea/Schultz Law Firm, P.C., we filed a civil suit against the New Hanover County Board of Education for allowing Kelly to work in the district for over 20 years, despite numerous complaints to administrators about sexual abuse.
Kelly pleaded guilty to 59 felonies involving sex crimes against 9th and 10th grade high school students at Laney High School and Isaac Bear Early College High School in Wilmington. Similarly, Frank is currently in the New Hanover County Jail awaiting trial on 29 sex crimes he allegedly committed over a 20-year period against middle schoolers at Roland Grise Middle School.
After uncovering these crimes and helping survivors move forward, we wanted to investigate further. As our very own Joel Rhine explains:
“These facts made us question just how safe were our schools. So, we decided to look at the larger issue of where sexual predators are with respect to our schools, and particularly to the most vulnerable of our students, those in elementary schools. And, the results were both astonishing and frightening.”
At Rhine Law Firm, P.C., our top-rated and veteran trial attorneys have decades of experience representing victims of sexual abuse and fighting aggressively on their behalf to recover the compensation they deserve.
The North Carolina “Lookback” Window
Victims of child abuse have suffered traumatic experiences that can be very difficult to relive. When those victims discover that they do not have the right to seek justice, the emotions can be further buried and leave a lifelong scar. Thankfully, North Carolina Senate Bill 199 has implemented a significant reform in civil justice for victims of child abuse. The bill was passed into law at the start of 2020 and makes the following changes:
- The statute of limitations has been entirely waived for child abuse victims to press charges, if they do so between January 1st, 2020 and December 31st, 2021. This two-year “lookback” window allows victims who suffered in years past to bring their abusers to court and recover compensation for parts of their lives they will never get back.
- The age limit for filing child abuse lawsuits has been raised from 21 to 28, allowing victims more time to understand what happened to them and build strength before pursuing legal action.
Your newfound legal ability might bring many questions and unpleasant emotions to the surface. For guidance during this difficult time, turn to our compassionate lawyers in Wilmington, NC.
How Can Rhine Law Firm, P.C., Help?
Our accomplished and veteran trial attorneys at Rhine Law Firm, P.C. have decades of experience providing compassionate, caring, and skilled legal services for those who have suffered at the hands of predators. We fight for you to make sure wrongdoers are punished to the fullest extent of the law and you recover the maximum amount of damages.
At present, our legal team is involved in a class-action suit against the New Hanover County School District on behalf of several defendants who suffered sexual abuse at the hands of former teacher and convicted sex offender Michael Earl Kelly.
Additional Resources:
- Two Robeson County school employees arrested and charged with felony sex crimes within the same week.
- Rhine Law Firm Reaches $140 Million Default Judgement for the Victims of Michael Kelly, a Former New Hanover County Schools Teacher
- RHINE LAW FIRM SEEKS JUSTICE FOR SURVIVORS OF SYSTEMIC SEXUAL ABUSE IN MARYLAND UNDER THE NEW CHILD VICTIMS ACT OF 2023
- New Hanover County Board of Education and Plaintiffs in Kelly Case Reach $5.75 Million Agreement to Settle Lawsuit
Our Promise to You
We are proud to serve the people of North Carolina.
Although our primary office location is in Wilmington, North Carolina we represent clients nationally and across the state of North Carolina. Some of the many areas we serve are listed below.
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