Crossroads Scotti

By: Rana Goodman

Several months ago I wrote a series about the board of directors at a home owners association (HOA) called Crossroads III and their trials and tribulations. They were fighting with their community manager and association lawyer, who were in control of half of the board, refusing to hand over documents and obstructing the running of the association in general.

Every attempt to get help from the real estate division had failed, and as I reported in the paper and on this site, everywhere I went to try and secure help for these ladies failed. County commissioners, their assemblywoman, the senior law project, everywhere. But then one day I was introduced by a friend to an attorney by the name of Richard Scotti who is running for district court judge. She told me what a nice man he was and that, not only was he running for a judgeship, but he hated people who took advantage of seniors. My friend thought I should talk to him about Crossroads III.

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I must admit that I didn’t have much hope when I called Richard Scotti, after all, every time Dorothy, the president of Crossroads III had “been up at bat” against attorney William Wright he had defeated her soundly and kept coming back for another “pound of flesh.” (Please see prior stories in this section.)

I held my breath, picked up the phone and called Richard Scotti , I told his assistant who had referred me, half expecting her to say he would return my call, but she didn’t, I was connected immediately. I asked if he had a few moments so I could “bend his ear.” We talked for almost thirty minutes while I brought him completely up to date on what William Wright had put this association, and three of its board members through.

I say the association, because although his venom was aimed at one board member in particular, the association had to pay the legal fees and is still paying each time he dreams up yet another legal action to bring against her. The cash register just keeps on ringing and no one stops him…… YET!    And yes, before you ask, complaints have been sent to the Nevada Bar Association, in my opinion, I’m sure they went straight into the circular file.

I think the tipping point for Mr. Scotti came while he was going over the transcripts of the last court hearing filed by Attorney Wright that followed an arbitration where Dorothy Chavez, who was the president of the board at Crossroads II at the time, actually won.

Wright had been claiming that, since, when she and her daughter purchased the condominium together, only her daughter’s name was on the deed, therefore Ms. Chavez had no right to run for the HOA board. The arbitrator stated that Ms. Chavez did not mislead the HOA with malice and since she was now on the deed, as such, since she had offered several times to step down and run again for election, she, and her board were to be a “do nothing board” and hold the election as already planned within the next two months.

Unhappy with the ruling and not willing to run the risk that an election might return Dorothy Chavez to the board, Wright went into district court to challenge the ruling and that time he prevailed removing Dorothy from the board.

In spite of the fact that Richard Scotti is knee deep in a campaign for District Court Judge, he found the time to meet with Dorothy Chavez from Crossroads III and has stepped up to act as counsel in her case bro-bono. Our conversation at that moment was just about the legality of removing Dorothy and did, or didn’t Attorney Wright mislead the district court judge in the hearing that caused it.

The same afternoon that we left that meeting Dorothy Chavez was served with another legal action from Attorney Wright… cha-ching- the legal bill keeps mounting at Crossroads III, this time, with the regular elections weeks away, attorney Wright was claiming that the by-laws of the association were flawed and he wanted them amended. As such the elections should be delayed by a year. With three members on the board now out of a five member board who supported him, should this be accepted, his position as association attorney would keep him in his job for at least another year.

Dorothy must have called Richard Scotti at the same time she sent me a text message because he was leaving a message on my phone as I walked through my door. I think, and I’m sorry Mrs. Scotti and Dan, but at that moment I also fell in love with this incredible man.  He told me that even with everything on his plate he could not stand by and watch this travesty happen. He was in all the way and would be there to help Dorothy Chavez and the other law firm that had been helping in this case.

 Dorothy was no longer covered for any fees by the association and cannot afford ANY legal fees, let alone a blitz attack of a vulture like William Wright has brought down on her. But there will be no bill coming from Richard Scotti and there are, I know in my heart, a special place saved in heaven for men like this.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, Richard Scotti…. and by the way…. You have my vote!