Wednesday, June 17, 2015

New Family Court Judge Puts Immediate Stop To Elder Abuse And Exploitation By For-Hire "Guardians" Jared Shafer And April Parks

After a barrage of shocking news articles by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, KTNV TV Contact 13, and The Vegas Voice, Clark County Board of Commissioners Chairman Steve Sisolak scheduled a special hearing to discuss the futures of Family Court Judge Charles Hoskin and his Hearing Master, former mob lawyer Jon Norheim.

Both Hoskin and Norheim refused to attend the April 21, 2015 hearing, but Clark County Chief District Court Judge David Barker, and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Abuse and Neglect Detail Lieutenant James Weiskopf did attend, along with a number of family members of abused or exploited senior citizens, and a battery of reporters.

Before the hearing ended, at least three members of the seven member Board of Commissioners had heard enough about court approved financial bilking and physical abuse of wealthy elderly or disabled residents of Southern Nevada, and voiced their opinions that Hoskin and Norheim should be prohibited from presiding over any further guardianship cases.

With the Commission's blessing, Judge Barker went to work the following day, and on May 21, announced the ouster of Hoskin and Norheim, and the appointment of veteran District Court Judge Cynthia Dianne Steel to hear all of their once scheduled guardianship cases beginning on June 1. (Unfortunately, both Hoskin and Norheim are still employed by the Family Court system, and can hear cases unrelated to guardianship.)

Judge Cynthia Dianne Steel
On June 1, Judge Steel, for the first time in Family Court history, carefully listened to pleas of family members of exploited seniors. She did so over the objections of expensive lawyers who work for the professional guardians at the expense of their court appointed "wards." To the delight of court observers, heads began to roll.

The first for-hire guardian to be removed from two exploitative guardianships was April Parks, an often appointed professional guardian with no formal training.

In late May, the police opened an investigation of Parks for criminal exploitation of the elderly.

Full Article and Source:
Inside Vegas: New Family Court Judge Puts Immediate Stop To Elder Abuse And Exploitation By For-Hire"Guardians" Jared Shafer And April Parks

April Parks

1 comment:

Rhonda said...

Maybe things are starting to really turn in Nevada! Let's hope.