tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215611662024-03-13T01:50:53.171-07:00Lawsuit AbuseWho is really guilty of lawsuit abuse?Ed Brennanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694433144914795556noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21561166.post-81538268338352115212008-08-20T15:56:00.000-07:002008-08-20T19:50:22.806-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFuZVWKace8gnZiZkd08KPgh0WwPUFf9UoCdMmuR0WNR5E-cTmFbTO3oOlYrmRnSv7rNs6mb7Oht0h7WZbTuYV28xK75jiJr3-zOn1Chk6ojohabqnGJoWwduHQEsSuURFPW45RA/s1600-h/JerrySanders.jpg.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFuZVWKace8gnZiZkd08KPgh0WwPUFf9UoCdMmuR0WNR5E-cTmFbTO3oOlYrmRnSv7rNs6mb7Oht0h7WZbTuYV28xK75jiJr3-zOn1Chk6ojohabqnGJoWwduHQEsSuURFPW45RA/s320/JerrySanders.jpg.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236796839258904658" /></a><br />San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders has been busy handing out CALA (Californians Against Law Suit Abuse) awards; maybe that's why he didn't have time to pay attention to waste of taxpayer money by the City of San Diego. It's okay with Jerry for insiders to milk the taxpayers, but he and his CALA friends don't want the city to reimburse ordinary people who have been harmed by city wrongdoing.<br /><br />The following story from Voice of San Diego addresses the question of Mayor Sanders' lack of interest:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=21561166">How City Hall Ignored Warning Signs on SEDC</a><br />By ANDREW DONOHUE and WILL CARLESS <br />Aug. 21, 2008<br /><br />After a voiceofsandiego.org investigation revealed last month that officials at the Southeastern Economic Development Corp. had paid themselves hundreds of thousands of dollars in hidden, non-budgeted bonuses and extra compensation, the Mayor's Office was quick to act.<br /><br />Jumping ahead of the potential public relations nightmare, the mayor issued stern rebukes of SEDC compensation practices, cut the redevelopment agency's funding and called for its president's resignation.<br /><br />When Mayor Jerry Sanders was told about expired board terms at SEDC, he said his office had higher priorities to deal with before addressing the issue. <br /><br />Other city officials have been quick to jump on the bandwagon. Three members of the City Council joined the mayor's call for Smith to resign and City Attorney Mike Aguirre quickly stepped in with his own bombshell: An opinion that SEDC's board chairman had violated California's conflict of interest laws.<br /><br />The rapid response displayed this summer belies the lack of pace and seriousness with which officials in City Hall, from the mayor and city attorney to the auditor and independent budget analyst, dealt with bubbling questions surrounding SEDC pay and other practices over the past two years...Ed Brennanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694433144914795556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21561166.post-22300896256116305112008-06-24T09:16:00.000-07:002008-12-13T00:04:02.121-08:00Diane Crosier and Rodger Hartnett: No one but us should be allowed to sue<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9sgjakJMWEMKGSZkzkCJ1gRGb1OBTzPiC5-mi87sibpKKIeJ62up2qbYYQK7ncCOiiuOm1mi5AJdmAhh5L71Cu14DpPJzVOSvplQdZ_EkMIN5fbHLqAu792IAG5k5Y5w7b2Xpuw/s1600-h/CrosierSELF.jpeg.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9sgjakJMWEMKGSZkzkCJ1gRGb1OBTzPiC5-mi87sibpKKIeJ62up2qbYYQK7ncCOiiuOm1mi5AJdmAhh5L71Cu14DpPJzVOSvplQdZ_EkMIN5fbHLqAu792IAG5k5Y5w7b2Xpuw/s320/CrosierSELF.jpeg.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215487997742000370" /></a><br />Diane Crosier, executive director of SDCOE-JPA<br /><br />After years of successful opposition to the claims of those who have been injured by unlawful actions of teachers and school officials, Diane Crosier and Rodger Hartnett, bigshots in the San Diego County Office of Education-Joint Powers Authority, suddenly think that the courts should switch sides, and listen to the complaints of victims.<br /><br />No, not all victims. Just Diane and Rodger.<br /><br />What was that you were saying about lawsuit abuse, Diane? You fall off a horse and want someone else to pay, right? Yes, I know it hurts. I've fallen off a horse, and I've broken my back. But I never sued anybody over it. <br /><br />In what way are you different from all the people whose claims you turned down, Rodger? They don't deserve accomodations for disabilities, but you do? How do you figure that? I do salute you, however, for the public service you have done by exposing a small part of the wrongdoing at SDCOE-JPA.<br /><br />Why don't the two of you admit the truth: those who are illegally harmed deserve the protection of the law?<br /><br />And those who have done the harm, such as the two of you, should pay.Ed Brennanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694433144914795556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21561166.post-10569849350827902622008-04-23T15:24:00.000-07:002008-04-23T15:38:43.516-07:00Gawker.com wants us to appreciate Sam Zell's patriotism:<br /><br />Stop Defaming Sam Zell's Trailer Park Company!<br />2:49 PM on Thu Apr 17 2008<br />By Pareene<br /> <br />Sam Zell, the crazy old man who bought some newspapers recently, is a champion of free speech, which is why he swears so much. So it's odd that he is suing some lady for defamation, right? Especially because the lady is not associated with us, and we have called him all sorts of things! Oh, the lady is Dianne Jacob, who represents the Second District on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. Sam Zell also owns a trailer park company that has four parks in her district. Recently, they started raising rents. Dianne Jacob said some very mildly defamatory things about them!<br /><br />Ms. Jacob learned that Zell's Manufacured Home Communities (which is now called "Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc.") has a history of suing cities to make them repeal rent control laws and also they enjoy "running people out of older mobile home parks," just for the kicks. So she said as much, and then they sued her for defamation, and they lost, but now they're appealing, even though their case seems pretty thin.<br /><br />So now she's writing an editorial about it. She submitted it to the Zell-owned L.A. Times, but they rejected it for some reason!<br /><br />All we have to say is listen up, old people—you can whine about that 25% rent hike but you're subsidizing quality journalism. If you want to save the newspaper industry and keep that DC bureau open, you're gonna have to suck it up. It's the patriotic thing to do.<br /><br />I Won't Be Sued Into Silence [Voice of San Diego]<br /><br />http://gawker.com/381068/stop-defaming-sam-zells-trailer-park-companyEd Brennanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694433144914795556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21561166.post-6890386249194762202008-04-16T10:18:00.000-07:002008-04-16T10:20:43.811-07:00Insurance company lawyers should have settled instead of continuing harrassment <br /><br />Goodrich Employee Wins Harassment Lawsuit.<br />Chula Vista, Calif.<br />February, 2003 <br />By Michael Kinsman, <br />The San Diego Union-Tribune Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News <br /><br />Feb. 8--Goodrich Aerostructures in Chula Vista just took a half-million-dollar hit just because it didn't listen to one of its employees. <br /><br />The aerospace manufacturer recently was on the losing end of a lawsuit filed by maintenance technician Bob Haist, who said he was slandered by his manager. <br /><br />A San Diego Superior Court jury awarded Haist $165,000 for the slander and another $335,000 for malice.Ed Brennanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694433144914795556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21561166.post-67622921790648384262007-12-12T19:22:00.000-08:002007-12-12T20:40:44.892-08:00UPDATE: Click <br /><a href="http://learningboosters.blogspot.com/search/label/.%20A%20school%20district%20lawsuit%20%28Cozaihr%20v.%20CVESD%29"> HERE</a> for the Danielle Coziahr v. CVESD $1 million jury award for gender discrimination at Silverwing school in Chula Vista Elementary School District.Ed Brennanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694433144914795556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21561166.post-28239825703710915702007-06-29T19:29:00.000-07:002008-04-23T15:35:16.992-07:00UPDATE: Click <br /><a href="http://learningboosters.blogspot.com/search/label/.%20A%20school%20district%20lawsuit%20%28Cozaihr%20v.%20CVESD%29"> HERE</a> for the Danielle Coziahr v. CVESD $1 million jury award for gender discrimination.<br /><br /><br />Lawsuit abuse by Dan Shinoff, Leslie Devaney, and Diane Crosier may have reached an all-time high in 2007. Leslie Devaney felt right at home in Cheryl Cox territory (Chula Vista), where she got the taxpayers to pay a big settlement to get rid of Laurie Madigan, the wife of a developer who was suspected of steering work to her husband's friends. You may remember Madigan as the woman who took sick leave BECAUSE SHE WAS AFRAID SHE MIGHT GET SICK BECAUSE SHE WAS BEING INVESTIGATED FOR A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. While collecting full sick pay, she continued with her evening teaching job.<br /><br />Then there's Dan Shinoff, who helped make a mess of MiraCosta College at the same time he helped Victoria Munoz gain a life of leisure and luxury at the taxpayers' expense.<br /><br />Here's what San Diego Union Tribune columnist Logan Jenkins says about the deal MiraCosta made with Victoria Munoz Richart to get her to resign as president. She'd long been working closely with Dan Shinoff to wreak havoc with the district's finances and human resources.<br /><br />Logan Jenkins admires Victoria Richart's fabulous settlement with MiraCosta<br /><br />Not everyone can waste two million dollars of precious education funds, and then be rewarded with another million in taxpayer funds. Victoria Munoz Richart of MiraCosta College, under the guidance of education attorney Dan Shinoff, did just that.<br /><br />Yesterday, Logan Jenkins of the San Diego Union Tribune wrote:<br /><br /><br />"I don't know what element of the settlement to admire more.<br /><br />"The $650,000 in “damages”? (You help blow up the place and then collect for your theoretical injury at the hands of dissident board members who may have illegally dissed your leadership. Fabulous!)<br /><br />"Indemnification in all future lawsuits? (You walk away clean, no harm, no foul – forever!)<br /><br />"The confidentiality clause? (All lips are sealed. No snitching!)<br /><br />"Though not highlighted in the press, one clause of the settlement struck us as especially brilliant.<br /><br />"If the college fails to pony up the dough by next Saturday, you'll “remain as Superintendent/President until those payments are made.”<br /><br />"Talk about striking the fear of God into your marks. Pay me or I'll . . . stay! <br /><br />"Madam president, you must be very tired, but deliriously happy."<br /><br />Diane Crosier, director of the San Diego County Office of Education--Joint Powers Authority continues to steer the school districts of San Diego county to Shinoff and Devaney's firm, Stutz, Artiano Shinoff & Holtz. Superintendent Randy Ward refuses to cough up public records of how much money Diane Crosier channels to Stutz. In fact, SDCOE tries to put very little information in writing about its relationship with Stutz. As Terry Ryan revealed at a Grossmont Union High School District board meeting several months ago, Crosier has a "gentlemen's agreement" with Stutz. Isn't that nice for them? But not so nice for the public which pays the secret bills.Ed Brennanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694433144914795556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21561166.post-75119623527627171042007-04-16T15:53:00.001-07:002007-04-17T10:59:16.434-07:00School lawyers commit lawsuit abuse at a rate far exceeding that of school victims.<br /><br />Good for Leonel Sanchez for noting the problem of bullying in schools in his recent San Diego Union Tribune article about violence in schools.<br /><br />Schools won't address this problem because they fear they'd be admitting liability. School boards and superintendents figure they can always get their lawyers to intimidate or bankrupt the victims who sue, or get them to settle for tiny amounts due to the threat of endless litigation.<br /><br />Am I the only one who finds it ironic that judges in California think they are helping schools by protecting the adults who do a bad job of running schools? Aren't the children the heart of the school? Aren't they the ones the courts should consider first?Ed Brennanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694433144914795556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21561166.post-1149813408975166352006-06-08T17:36:00.000-07:002008-04-23T15:38:06.321-07:00Question: What Do Chula Vista Elementary School District and the City of Beaverton, Oregon Have in Common?<br /><br />Answer: They both spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on cover-ups.<br /><br />Chula Vista Elementary School District in San Diego County is not the only public entity that flagrantly and repeatedly violates laws requiring that government operate in an above-board and transparent manner. We who pay millions to these entities have a right to know how our money is spent, and we have a right to make sure that our money is not used to fund illegal activities.<br /><br />The city of Beaverton, Oregon, refused for two-and-a-half years to turn over a 19-page document that described the city’s “assertive target approach” to annexation. <br /><br />“This stopped being about annexation when Beaverton turned the dispute into a matter of trust, credibility and openness in government. The document finally turned over to Nike last Friday should have been given to the company long before taxpayers ponied up the first half million dollars to pay for the city’s legal defense…[Taxpayers] now may have to pay Nike’s attorney fees, too,” The Oregonian said on June 7, 2006. “It’s no wonder taxpayers fight so hard to stay out of Beaverton.”Ed Brennanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694433144914795556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21561166.post-1143133809040028102006-03-23T09:05:00.000-08:002006-06-18T17:58:54.606-07:00An Open Letter to Cheryl Cox, CVESD School Board Member<br /><br />Dear Ms. Cox:<br /><br />Your reason for running for mayor of Chula Vista can not be that you want to deliver open and honest decision making.<br /><br />You have made decisions which were not merely sudden and without broad input, like the decision which you have criticized in which Patricia Chavez was appointed to the Chula Vista City Council, but were made entirely behind closed doors, and were criminal violations of law!<br /><br />I am sad that you have been tainted by your close association with Patrick Judd, Pamela Smith and Larry Cunningham. I believe that you are a better school board member than they, but you have sacrificed the education of children, and the rule of law, for your political ambitions.<br /><br />Why not come clean about criminal actions by teachers and administrators at CVESD? And by the way, what progress has there been in the police investigation into the disappearance of $20,000 from the Castle Park PTA? And please explain the OAH decision which is described in detail on my web site, <a href="http://mauralarkins.com/">San Diego Education Report</a>.<br /><br />Four very interesting letters from the judge can be found on mauralarkins.com if you go to <a href="http://mauralarkins.com//page22.html">Page 22</a></li>.<br /><br />Maura LarkinsEd Brennanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694433144914795556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21561166.post-1138592805314593302006-01-29T19:32:00.000-08:002006-01-29T19:50:03.166-08:00Wrongdoers and their lawyers, NOT THE VICTIMS WHO SUE, are guilty of lawsuit abuse. Insurance companies increasingly prefer to pay millions to their lawyers instead of to their victims. <br /><br />Many of the "Joint Powers Authorities" which insure public entities are controlled by people who use their positions for personal or political advantage, rather than for the benefit of the public. It is an abuse of the legal system to spend taxpayer dollars on lawyers who will help public entities get away with wrongful actions, rather than to give fair compensation to those who have been injured. <br /><br />When doctors' insurance companies use unethical or illegal tactics to fight victims in court, or intimidate and deceive victims out of court, they are also abusing the legal system.Ed Brennanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694433144914795556noreply@blogger.com0