Ohio AG Moves to Dismiss 77 Strauss Abuse Cases Based on 1986 Federal Law
AG Dave Yost seeks to throw out dozens of abuse cases against Ohio State, arguing claims before 1986 federal law fall outside court jurisdiction.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed a motion asking a federal court to dismiss 77 cases against Ohio State University related to sexual abuse by the late Dr. Richard Strauss, arguing that claims predating a 1986 federal law should be thrown out.
Yost’s May 10 filing in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio targets plaintiffs in three separate cases, claiming any abuse that occurred before October 21, 1986 falls outside federal jurisdiction. Congress passed legislation on that date allowing states and universities to be sued in federal court for failing to prevent sexual abuse of students.
The attorney general’s motion seeks to dismiss claims entirely for 43 plaintiffs whose alleged abuse happened before the 1986 date, while requesting partial dismissal for 34 other plaintiffs for any abuse occurring before October 21, 1986.
Strauss Abuse Spanned Nearly Two Decades
Dr. Richard Strauss sexually abused at least 177 male victims between 1979 and 1996 during his tenure as a physician for Ohio State’s Athletics Department and at the university’s Student Health Center, according to an independent investigation commissioned by Ohio State University. Strauss retired from the university in 1998 and died by suicide in 2005 at age 67.
The scope of abuse covered by Yost’s motion spans the early years of Strauss’s time at Ohio State, when he began working with student-athletes in various capacities across the university’s athletic programs.
Recent Football Player Lawsuit Adds to Legal Challenges
Earlier this month, 30 former Ohio State football players joined a federal lawsuit against the university over Strauss’s abuse. At least three of the football players were members of the 1980 Rose Bowl team and played under coach Woody Hayes.
The addition of these high-profile former players highlights the extensive reach of Strauss’s abuse across multiple Ohio State athletic programs during his 17-year period of documented misconduct. The case represents one of several ongoing legal challenges facing the university related to the physician’s actions.
Yost’s legal strategy focuses on the timing of Congressional action that established federal jurisdiction over institutional failures to protect students from sexual abuse. The October 1986 law created the legal framework that allows victims to sue state universities in federal court for inadequate prevention of such abuse.
