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Attorney Commentary: In the second section of this story, sex abuse victim lawyer Aaron Blank discusses filing a lawsuit against a teacher committing sexual abuse.
A longtime teacher for Harford County Schools was arrested this week for allegedly sexually abusing a former student over two decades ago.
51-year-old John David Hobbs has been charged with second-degree rape, third-degree sex offense, and child abuse. He appeared in court on June 11 and is being held without bail.
Hobbs was arrested on June 10th following a police investigation that began in January after the victim came forward to report the alleged abuse to the police.
He has taught in various schools in the Harford County Schools district for 22 years. He has been an English teacher at Patterson Mill High School since July 2018.
He taught at Bel Air Middle School from 1998 to 2018 and is accused of sexually abusing a student during his time there.
Charging documents say that the victim told police the abuse began in 1999 when she was a 14-year-old eighth-grade student.
Harford County Schools placed Hobbs on unpaid leave on Thursday. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 7th.
Attorney contributor Aaron Blank is a former sex crimes prosecutor who now represents sex abuse victims in civil lawsuits. Aaron has some information to share regarding the legal rights of school sex abuse survivors:
Sexual predators are often found in positions of trust and there have been widespread reports of teachers and coaches sexually abusing students in schools throughout the country. These victims have legal rights in both criminal and civil courts. Along with reporting the teacher for a criminal investigation, some survivors may also have grounds for a lawsuit.
Lawsuits can be filed in cases involving negligence, such as a failure to run background checks. Additionally, state laws like the statute of limitations can affect whether or not a victim can file a lawsuit. These cases are complicated and it’s best to consult with an experienced sex abuse lawyer to learn more about your legal options.
If you or a loved one is a survivor of sexual abuse by a teacher or another school employee, you can learn more about your legal options in a free consultation with one of our dedicated sex abuse victim lawyers.
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