People's Justice

Case guide

Crime reports and civil assault claims

Crime cases and civil claims have different roles. Ask how each applies to your event; do not assume one replaces the other.

See If You Qualify

Free · No obligation · About 2 minutes

Updated Oct 4, 202617 sources

This may apply to you if

  • The harm you want reviewed was linked to an Uber or Lyft ride.
  • Tell the lawyer which app you used and where and when the ride took place.
  • Ask a lawyer to check the facts before treating a court group as proof that you qualify.

What the public record says

These are cited sources. Their inclusion does not imply that they endorse People’s Justice or reviewed this page.

Lisa J. Cisneros · United States District Court for the Northern District of California · United States Magistrate Judge

Finding: The July 30, 2026 Uber order allowed limited evidence gathering about driver background checks. It did not decide whether a new person has a claim.

Uber order on lobbying and background checks (opens in a new tab) · Jul 30, 2026 · Checked Oct 3, 2026

Charles R. Breyer · United States District Court for the Northern District of California · United States District Judge

Finding: The February 4, 2026 order required access to admitted exhibits after jury deliberations ended in the Dean test trial. That order concerns one Uber trial, not every survivor’s privacy.

Dean trial exhibit access order (opens in a new tab) · Feb 4, 2026 · Checked Oct 3, 2026

The evidence and its limits

Uber · 2024

Uber’s report of serious safety incidents

Design:
Other study design
Participants:
Reports from riders and drivers in 2021 and 2022; not a study of enrolled patients.
Finding:
Uber’s company report includes sexual assault reports from riders and drivers on its US platform.
Main limitation
Uber says it does not decide whether reported events occurred. These company data do not prove fault in your claim or describe Lyft’s platform.

Read the source: Uber’s report of serious safety incidents (opens in a new tab) · Checked Oct 3, 2026

The short answer

Who brings a federal criminal case?
The government brings federal crime cases. It must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. A civil claim instead asks for relief for alleged harm. [14]
What is a civil claim asking the court to do?
A civil claim tells the court about harm and asks it to act. That might involve money or an order about conduct. Filing alone does not prove fault. [15]
Is a criminal conviction always needed?
Do not assume one rule for the whole country. California’s adult-assault law says a criminal case or conviction is not needed for actions under that section. Ask if that rule applies to your claim. [16]
Can I wait for a criminal case before asking about civil time limits?
Ask a lawyer to check the civil deadline now. Filing time limits depend on the governing law and claim. This page does not establish that a criminal investigation pauses that clock. [17]

What rules a case out

Not covered by this case

  • This page does not decide a personal claim, diagnosis, filing deadline or payment.

The process

What happens next

  1. 01

    You answer a few questions

    About two minutes. Nothing is sent until you agree on the last step and press submit.

  2. 02

    A lawyer looks at it

    A lawyer at the firm reads your answers and checks them against the current case criteria.

  3. 03

    The firm decides and gets in touch

    If the firm takes your case, you get the terms in writing to read before you sign. You can always say no.

Who brings a federal criminal case?

The government brings federal crime cases. It must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. A civil claim instead asks for relief for alleged harm.

Ask which agency or lawyer handles the question you want answered. A report to a company is not the same document as a court complaint. Keep copies of the requests and responses you already have.

What is a civil claim asking the court to do?

A civil claim tells the court about harm and asks it to act. That might involve money or an order about conduct. Filing alone does not prove fault.

Ask a civil lawyer to explain the proposed defendant and claim. Ask which facts need proof and what evidence could address them. Do not treat a report receipt as a decision on that claim.

Is a criminal conviction always needed?

Do not assume one rule for the whole country. California’s adult-assault law says a criminal case or conviction is not needed for actions under that section. Ask if that rule applies to your claim.

Use the actual subsection when asking about the California example. Other rules and claim types need their own check. Tell the lawyer about any investigation or proceeding rather than guessing how it affects your rights.

Can I wait for a criminal case before asking about civil time limits?

Ask a lawyer to check the civil deadline now. Filing time limits depend on the governing law and claim. This page does not establish that a criminal investigation pauses that clock.

Give the lawyer any known report and case dates. Ask which event, if any, affects the time calculation. Keep the civil deadline answer separate from estimates about an investigation’s length.

Which existing case papers should I give civil counsel?

Bring any crime case or report number you have. Ask how it relates to the civil claim and time limit.

Does the agreement cover both legal processes?

Ask if the firm would handle a civil claim only. Read the scope and costs; one form may not cover both processes.

Find out where you stand.

The review is free and private. Asking for it doesn’t commit you to anything.

Register your interest

Sources

  1. Pages 1–2, document 213 filed April 2, 2026Uber case scope · court
  2. MDL table rows 3171 and 3084Court lists separate Uber and Lyft groups · court
  3. Uber MDL subsectionUber test trial exhibits · court
  4. July 30, 2026 order, pages 3–6Uber court work and new claims · court
  5. Third US Safety Report explanation; 2021–2022 dataUber safety report scope
  6. Contact Us: National Sexual Assault HotlineRAINN support contact
  7. Where to find medical care: medical support and exam sectionsRAINN medical help
  8. Model Rule 1.5(b)–(c)Fee agreement questions
  9. February 4, 2026 order, document 5196, page 1Public trial exhibits · court
  10. October 1, 2026 report; row 3084Uber pending count · court
  11. Calling 911: emergency assistanceEmergency help · regulator
  12. Uber MDL bellwether in Charlotte, NC: federal jury found the driver committed battery (not sexual assault) for grabbing a passenger's inner thigh and awarded $5,000; Judge Charles Breyer had ruled Uber qualifies as a 'common carrier' under North Carolina law with heightened liability for driver misconduct — Uber vowed to appeal. (Fortune also reports an intervening California bellwether where Uber was found not liable.)fortune.com · Apr 20, 2026
  13. First bellwether trial in Uber passenger sexual assault MDL-3084: an Arizona federal jury awarded plaintiff Jaylynn Dean $8.5 million, finding her driver was an 'apparent agent' of Uber, while rejecting negligence and defective-safety-system claims (plaintiffs had sought $144M); Uber said it would appeal.fortune.com · Feb 6, 2026
  14. U.S. Courts criminal-case guide
  15. U.S. Courts civil-case guide
  16. California CCP340.16 current official text
  17. SDNY court guide: filing time limits

Checked against 13 primary sources by People's Justice editors · Updated

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People's Justice research team · Updated Oct 4, 2026