JUST IN: Judge Steel today freed two more victims from for-hire "guardian" April Parks' financial exploitation and abuse

For-hire "guardian" April Parks

By: Steve Miller

LAS VEGAS - After an hour long hearing in Clark County Family Court, newly appointed Guardianship Judge Cynthia Diane Steel today ruled that the court-ordered guardianship of Rudy and Rennie North be terminated immediately.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed its the only thing that ever has."
Dr. Margaret Mead

The North's guardianship was put in place by then-Guardianship Hearing Master Jon Norheim at a time when his court rulings were under scrutiny based on well founded accusations that he was doing favors for certain local for-hire private guardians by assigning guardianships based on the degree of wealth of the prospective "wards," instead of basing his decision on the prospective ward's actual need for help by the family court. 

In all reported instances of such court appointments, family members loudly protested, but to no avail until the issue became fodder for stories by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Vegas Voice, and KTNV TV Contact 13 producer Kean Bauman and reporter Darcy Spears.

Newly appointed Guardianship Judge Cynthia Dianne Steel

Disgraced Family Court Judge Charles Hoskin and his appointed Hearing Master Jon Norheim

This is Judge Steel's third termination of an exploitative guardianship ordered by Norheim under the direction of his boss Chief Family Court Judge Charles Hoskin.

Judge Hoskin was recently re-elected to another six year term, and Norheim, who is not an elected judge and works at Hoskin's pleasure, have been banned from hearing any more guardianship cases. 

Per a May 2015 ruling by Clark County Eighth Judicial District Court Chief Judge David Barker, both Hoskin and Norheim are no longer allowed to hear guardianship cases based on numerous complaints filed with the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline, and the Clark County Commission.

Judge Steel who has heard all guardianship cases since June 1, is expected to soon begin review of dozens of complaints lodged against veteran for-hire guardian Jared E. Shafer, who is well known as the mentor of most Las Vegas' based private guardians, many of whom are also suspected of exploiting their "wards."

The North's heart rendering story was featured on several recent KTNV TV Contact 13 segments.

Click on above image to view full KTNV TV News video

Since Contact 13's exclusive airing of Rudy and Rennie North's story, along with several others telling of local guardianship abuse sanctioned by Hoskin and Norheim, Channel 13 News has catapulted into the number one position in key time slots according to Nielsen's May TV news ratings.

Many believe the station's success is based on Kean and Spears' exclusive stories about the previously out of control guardianship racket in Southern Nevada, and the remedies now being put in place to stop the family court sanctioned financial exploitation by for-hire guardians of too many of our city's senior citizens, and disabled persons (click HERE to view the shocking story of an exploited disabled man in his own words). 

MORE INFORMATION:
http://www.americanmafia.com/Inside_Vegas/6-15-15_Inside_Vegas.html
http://www.stevemiller4lasvegas.com/ShaferFinancialRecords2.html
http://www.thevegasvoice.net/politics--opinions
http://www.thevegasvoice.net/nevada-legislature-happenings/guardianship-a-legal-sham-disgrace
http://lasvegassun.com/news/2015/mar/15/time-license-audit-court-appointed-guardians/
http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/victim-guardianship-theft-struggles-rebound 
http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/court-appointed-guardian-faces-charges-stealing-clients 
http://www.fox5vegas.com/story/23641602/court-appointed-guardian-accused-of-stealing-from-clients 
http://www.mynews3.com/content/news/story/Family-court-appointed-guardian-arrested-for-fraud/_b6nSDXptkOAo0RU-EmJ5Q.cspx 
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/oct/08/court-appointed-guardian-jailed-accused-stealing-e/ 
http://www.santacruz.com/news/2012/07/31/guardianship_case_highlights_plight_of_elderly 

National Association to Stop Guardian Abuse:
http://stopguardianabuse.org/L.O.htm