The Town Council has asked its solicitor and the town manager to conduct an investigation into cases handled by Probate Judge Robert E. Rainville based on complaints that he has been awarding excessive fees to lawyers he’s appointed as guardians.
Rainville says he has done nothing wrong –– and that the complaints against him are “100 percent politically motivated.” He claims that Council Vice President Angelo A. Padula Jr. is trying to oust him because he is a lifelong friend of Stephen Alves, the former state senator from West Warwick who lost a reelection bid in November.
Nonsense, says Padula. While he makes no bones about the fact that he has a strong dislike for Alves, the former powerful chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Padula says he didn’t know until he met Rainville for the first time last week –– the day after the council met and called for an investigation into his performance –– that Rainville and Alves are friends.
Council President David Gosselin Jr. said the investigation –– which started as a “residency” inquiry based on Rainville’s 2004 move to East Greenwich –– has now become a “performance-based” probe based on complaints filed by a raft of “Rainville haters.” At least three council members –– Padula, Gosselin and Filomena Gustafson –– say they have received complaints about Rainville’s handling of probate matters, about a dozen in all. Only two of them were discussed at the council meeting. Both centered on the amount of money Rainville has awarded to attorneys acting as guardians for elderly people.
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West Warwick Council to probe probate judge’s conduct after complaints
Rainville says he has done nothing wrong –– and that the complaints against him are “100 percent politically motivated.” He claims that Council Vice President Angelo A. Padula Jr. is trying to oust him because he is a lifelong friend of Stephen Alves, the former state senator from West Warwick who lost a reelection bid in November.
Nonsense, says Padula. While he makes no bones about the fact that he has a strong dislike for Alves, the former powerful chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Padula says he didn’t know until he met Rainville for the first time last week –– the day after the council met and called for an investigation into his performance –– that Rainville and Alves are friends.
Council President David Gosselin Jr. said the investigation –– which started as a “residency” inquiry based on Rainville’s 2004 move to East Greenwich –– has now become a “performance-based” probe based on complaints filed by a raft of “Rainville haters.” At least three council members –– Padula, Gosselin and Filomena Gustafson –– say they have received complaints about Rainville’s handling of probate matters, about a dozen in all. Only two of them were discussed at the council meeting. Both centered on the amount of money Rainville has awarded to attorneys acting as guardians for elderly people.
Full Article and Source:
West Warwick Council to probe probate judge’s conduct after complaints
3 comments:
It's good to see some action - any action - from the discipline committees. And we shall watch this.
A complete review of all guardianships in the state is really what's called for, but we'll be happy with these baby steps at first....
Good, I love to see judges under the bright spotlight for a change!
This is a good begining, but.........
Federal agents need to get involved to seize and remove all the case files assigned to Judge Rainville (and others if necessary).
This is a prime example of PUBLLIC CORRUPTION in the PROBATE BUDDY CLUB which is out of control nationwide.
I see the FBI needs to hire more than 2,000 good people. If the Feds start investigating the Probate racket, they will be needing 20,000+ new people.
As a taxpayer, I am more than pleased to see my tax dollars where it is needed, working for us, we the people.
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