January 22, 2025

Justice is served in YDC litigation

We’re starting the new year strong with progress both in and out of court. Our trial team continues to fiercely litigate those responsible for enabling the abuse that took place in state custody, and we’ve seen great success to that end in recent weeks. We’re also hard at work processing Settlement Fund claims as we pursue the best possible outcome for all of you and are happy to report that just this week, we won the maximum award of $2.5 million for one of our clients under the new Settlement Fund rules that we urged the state to adopt. We’re encouraged by the movement we’ve seen as of late and will continue to keep you posted as developments unfold.

Jury convicts former YDC staff member Stanley Watson

On January 13, following a week-long criminal trial, a Hillsborough County jury found former YDC staff member Stanley Watson guilty on all counts of sexually assaulting two YDC residents in the 1990s. Those two victims—who, like you, have filed civil lawsuits against the state of New Hampshire for the abuse they suffered while in state custody—bravely took the stand and testified against Watson. The jury believed them, and justice was served.

Watson is the second former YDC staff member convicted in connection with the sexual abuse of YDC residents. We are confident that these abusers and the State that enabled them will continue to be held accountable.

Settlement Fund Update

Reminders about communication

We need your help to achieve timely and effective resolutions of your Settlement Fund claims. Many of you have been responsive to us—returning our calls, attending scheduled meetings, providing supporting documents, and signing key forms. Thank you! Your engagement in the process is crucial.

If you are struggling to respond promptly to our inquiries, please let us know so we can make a plan that fits your schedule and allows us to keep your process moving. We have victim specialists available to help you through this process. If you need to miss a previously scheduled appointment, send us a message through the CaseStatus app or call 603-628-4060.

Don’t miss the deadline!

The deadline to submit a claim to the YDC Settlement Fund is June 30, 2025. If you want to file a claim or have questions about the process, please contact us on the CaseStatus app or call 603-628-4060.

All clients have the option of seeking resolution through civil litigation or the Settlement Fund. If you already have a civil case in progress and choose to enter the Settlement Fund, your litigation case will be paused. However, you can return to it at any time if you wish.

Resolution proceedings

The addition of a second administrator has significantly improved the Settlement Fund process. Administrator Nicolosi has conducted several resolution proceedings, all of which have progressed smoothly.

We have now received notices for resolution proceedings scheduled into July. We have also received several notices setting deadlines for pre-hearing submissions, but the dates of those proceedings are “to be determined.” This is the case for several incarcerated clients, as the administrator’s team is still working out the logistics of when those proceedings can take place. Still, we are encouraged by the movement we’re seeing on those claims and optimistic the Settlement Fund process will continue to keep pace. Please know that we will contact you when we receive the resolution proceeding notice for your Settlement Fund claim. The resolution proceeding will be your opportunity to speak directly with the Administrator about the abuse you suffered and the effect it has had on you.

While resolution proceedings are generally scheduled in the order in which claims are received, we have had some success expediting them for our clients who have terminal illnesses or very serious medical conditions. If you have a terminal illness or other serious medical condition that is likely to worsen in the next 6-12 months, please contact us on CaseStatus or at 603-628-4060 to discuss whether we may be able to request the expedition of your resolution proceeding. As part of this process, we will need to ask you for documentation of your medical condition.

Upcoming change: Client Updates for incarcerated clients

In the past, our Client Updates have been slow to reach incarcerated clients because these letters are subject to strict mailing rules at each individual correctional facility. To speed up this process, we are introducing our new recorded update option that will allow incarcerated clients to hear Client Updates by phone. Here’s how it works:

• Call the main Nixon Peabody phone number (603-628-4060) and ask to be connected to the YDC Client Update line. You must call during business hours between 8:30-5 pm.
• Listen to the most recent Client Update, which has been recorded for your convenience.

You may call this line as often as you would like to hear any new Client Updates.

Please note this is the last Client Update we will mail to incarcerated clients. Going forward, these clients should call the phone number above to hear the recorded message. This process will avoid mailing delays and allow us to deliver updates to incarcerated clients much more quickly.

Please always remember to update your contact information as it changes.

Our team is here to help

Remember, the CaseStatus app is the fastest, easiest way to communicate with us about your claim. If you haven’t begun using the app, please download it today. If you aren’t comfortable with using the app, please let us know.

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