Civil Justice
Civil Claims After Assaults at Apartments, Hotels, Bars, and Businesses
Victims often ask whether anyone besides the perpetrator may be civilly responsible.
Updated September 23, 2026
Reviewed for publication by Mark A. Amador | Former California prosecutor | Partner, Wingert Grebing Brubaker & Walshok LLP
Location is not enough
A landlord, hotel, bar, or business is not an insurer of safety. Liability requires a legal basis tied to the defendant's own conduct.
Questions that matter
Control, notice, prior incidents, security practices, access, staffing, foreseeability, causation, and burden can matter.
Coordinate investigations
Civil evidence should be preserved without unnecessarily interfering with an active criminal investigation.
Legal reference: California Constitution article I, section 28; California DOJ victim-rights materials. Parole-specific pages also rely on current CDCR victim-services guidance. This page is general information, not legal advice.
General information only. Rights, procedures, deadlines, and available remedies can depend on the facts and the stage of the case.