Victims, their family members, elected leadership, media, and advocates,

The story that refuses to die! Judge Charles Hoskin and Commissioner Jon Norheim continue to enjoy their jobs, having suffered no penalties for the abuses they sponsored in adult guardianships for years. To the north Judge Frances Doherty and her allies at Washoe Legal Services continue to damage good families with legitimate estate documents. New judges adjudicating adult guardianships in Clark County are demonstrating a desire to take the system back to the Norheim era.

Judge William Potter’s (current adult guardianship judge) trial for Judicial Discipline charges starts November 1 at the Nevada Bar HQ in Las Vegas. He has 5 counts against him for media tampering, handcuffing non-submissive counsel, and other improprieties and has chosen to fight the charges. Ironically Potter’s actions mirror those of Judge Charles Hoskin on February 2, 2015 when Darcy Spears aired on KTNV ABC News that he claimed his court and Mr. Norheim were doing a great job and the public’s complaints were meritless. It was later reported Hoskin offered to give reporter Steve Sanson evidence on guardian Helen Natko to prove Norheim ruled appropriately granting her guardianship over a proposed ward’s family. Natko was later convicted of felony theft and exploitation of her ward. Hoskin and Norheim have NEVER been sanctioned by the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline for their actions and still enjoy their jobs. Hoskin remains the Presiding Judge of Clark County Family Court.

October was a great month elevating Nevada’s reality nationwide. Rachel Aviv published her article on Clark County abuses in The New Yorker magazine in early October. Her article spawned pieces by NPR, Glenn Beck, Laura Ingram, Leonard Lopate, US News, Money, The Root, Gary Toms, and others who reran the story for their listeners and readers. Julie Belshe, Terry Williams, Rana Goodman, Steve Miller and myself helped supply validation voices to support media inquiries. See links below. And finally on October 18, 2017 President Trump signed S178, the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act into law. Nevada, and every other state, will now get Federal investigative help to protect the elderly from abuse and exploitation, in particular those “protected” by guardians.

The New Yorker-How the Elderly Lose Their Rights  October 2, 2017
NPR, “On Point” – State Sanctioned Guardians  October 5, 2017
NPR, “On Point” – Why Guardianship Abuse Occurs  October 5, 2017
The Root-Is the Adult Guardianship and Probate Court System Exploiting the Vulnerable?  October 10, 2017
WNYC, Leonard Lopate-How Elderly are Losing Their Rights  October 12, 2017
Reuters, U.S. News-Spotlight, a Look at Guardianships  October 20, 2017
Glenn Beck-“Someone Kidnapped my Parents”, Nevada was Sheltering Elder Abuse  October 23, 2017
Gary Toms, Syndicated Radio-Fraudulent Guardianships and Probate Courts  October 23, 2017

Sadly Nevada leadership has yet to learn that judges too often rule inconsistent with Nevada requirements and statutes when the court’s allies present a compelling “story” and big money is in play. Until the judges are held accountable to uphold the law in their courtrooms the atrocities will continue and reporters will likely keep reporting.

Regards,
Rick Black
Director-AAAPG.net
(804) 564-5330