Friday, May 22, 2015

Couple liberated from guardianship system



By Kean Bauman. CREATED May 20, 2015
 
Strong words today from a court comissioner who's been accused of rubber-stamping wrongdoing. Now, it seems the tide is turning in favor of local families. Contact 13 was in the courtroom this morning as one family's loved ones were liberated from Clark County's controversial guardianship system.

"That is an enormous problem! That is no technical problem,That is a big, enormous, major problem!"   That's Guardianship Commissioner Jon Norheim just before he took private, for-profit guardian April Parks off the case of Rudy and Rennie North.

"She will not have any authority from this court to act on behalf of your mom and dad," Norheim said.

Guardianship was given instead to daughter, Julie Belshe, who's been fighting to get her parents out of the system for nearly two years.

"What happened today was completely amazing," said Julie. "More than thrilled with this decision to let me actually take over and be part of my parents life again."

Nearly two years ago Rudy and Rennie were enjoying a quiet, loving, life together but all that changed with a knock on the door.

"I felt like I was being arrested. Was kidnapped out of my house," Rennie said.

"They have locked me up, thrown away the key and it's terrible," Rudy said.

Since the fall of 2013, the court has allowed Parks to control every aspect of Rudy and Rennie's lives--where they would live, how their money was spent, what items they could keep--and sometimes, who they could see.

"They took my parents," said Julie. "I didn't know who. I didn't know what."

When Contact 13 looked at the guardianship case, we found mistakes, over-charging and double-billing by Parks. Our findings played a key role in Wednesday morning's hearing.

"She's costing me $300 an hour to sit here and degrade me and my family," Rudy said. "I will not stand for it and I will not pay for it."

Parks' attorney did the talking for her, claiming the process to remove Parks is being rushed, "...based on innuendo, based on hearsay, based on salacious representations made on the media about Ms. Parks," said Aileen Cohen. "This matter is turning into a witch hunt."

But Commissioner Jon Norheim was having none of it. "The idea that she's been compliant? Not even close."

Norheim said Parks failed to protect the Norths and, especially, their estate.

"She's supposed to block the money. She's supposed to come to court for release," said Norheim.

"That didn't happen. It got spent. Things got sold. None of that was supposed to happen!"

Parks' attorney declined to comment after the hearing and Parks herself didn't return our calls.
Rudy says the journey down a rough road is one he can navigate now.

"I believe it's the start, and as if somebody came and said to me, 'Rudy, you just made the road smaller.' It's no longer as long as it was."

Commissioner Norheim called this a real problem case and said it's been referred to the Court Compliance Officer for investigation.

If you have a problem with the system, let us know by sending an email to 13INVESTIGATES@KTNV.COM

Full Article & Source:
Couple liberated from guardianship system

9 comments:

Finny said...

I was glad to see Norheim's outrage, but where has it been for 2 years?

Kathleen said...

So happy and thrilled for Rudy and Renee North and their daughter Julie! They are now Free from the abuse of April Park.

B Inberg said...

Norheim is outraged because the media and press is on his a**!

I think the FBI needs to come with a parade of trucks and empty the files for audit and reivew.

There must be consequences for wrongdoing double billing my a** that's theft!

The guardians and their lyin' lawyers had this scheme in the dark it was open season but those days are over so now it's time to save their own skins.

Thank you ABC Channel 13 news the power of the media and press is the golden link to bring awareness to the public who are in the dark until they find themselves a respondent of a petition for guardianship many find out after they are guardianized this is CRIMINAL immunities must be eliminated from their walls of protection.

Ruthann said...

Congratulations Julie! Your prayers have been answered!

Norma said...

Julie, Julie, Julie, you have made the impossible possible. I'm so happy for you and for your parents. You give us all hope.

Martha said...

Raise your glass and toast to this family!

Zippydo said...

April Parks is an embarrassment to those professional guardians who do their duty and care about their wards. The good guys should run the bad guys (like Parks) out.

Carole said...

Way to go, Julie!

Anne Trambarulo Haines said...

"Successfully rescuing people from the "guardianship gulag" takes a lot of hard work and determination, PLUS media intervention. Bringing these cases to the light of public scrutiny is a major factor in saving people's lives and estates. Not to mention re-uniting families! Julie, may God bless you and your parents with many more years together."
Anne Trambarulo Haines