After reading a large number of consumer complaints filed on this complaint website regarding the notorious Las Vegas Guardian, Jared E. Shafer, it is important for us to make public a series of unlawful abuses committed against my father by this fiduciary. My family has been making serious efforts to save my father from a life of loneliness and possible premature death resulting from the care of this guardian. We are fighting against a corrupt and cruel system. We have found the attorneys and judges in Las Vegas family court are enablers of Jared Shafers harmful senior guardianship practices. I am writing this statement (which is God's truth and based on our own expensive and disappointing experiences we suffered with the law offices of Hutchison & Steffen) to educate people about the Las Vegas legal community. Most people believe that attorneys would sincerely advocate to protect their clients, but in the abhorrent city of Las Vegas, there is no justice for people who become old or disabled. Honesty or ethics does not exist in the Las Vegas Family Courts.
Please read the letter below that I recently sent to Hutchison & Steffen, a law firm I thought would assist me in preventing further damage, abuse, and exploitation of my father and his estate by Mr. Jared E. Shafer. Many close friends told us that a law firm of such size, experience and reputation and that practices Family and Constitutional Law would work diligently to protect my father's constitutional rights as well as act in his and my best interest. We learned Mark Hutchison and his firm did the exact opposite by failing to follow through on promises. I have also found several critical facts were deliberately withheld from us by Hutchison and Steffen Law Firm. For example, Mark Hutchison made sure Mr. Shafer could escape accountability for breaking several Nevada State ethics laws. Mr. Hutchison accomplished this by filing a series of motions in 2005 to find Shafer innocent while he served on the State Ethics Committee, which tried Jared Shafer for violations of several Nevada state statutes. The link to the minutes of this Ethics sessions is: Nevada Ethics Commission Session On Shafer's Violations
One of my complaints is the huge amount of so-called "research" I was billed for.interesting, since they list Constitutional and Family Law as part of their expert practice areas on their website, so why would they need to conduct useless research which was never used in court? I believe this is a clear example of false billing. Their omission of the fact that Mark Hutchison sat on the Ethics Commission and was the individual who made the motions to not find Jared E. Shafer guilty of several charges is shocking. Recent events, which have unfolded, have prompted me to write this letter and make this complaint public. My complaint is being copied to several entities as a matter of informing those who are unaware of the unethical practices of attorneys in Las Vegas.in addition, this complaint is a message to many State entities who have turned a blind eye or have enabled this despicable situation to continue against a widowed 92 year old World War 2 veteran.
My father is not the only victim of Las Vegas attorney corruption and the Clark County Family Court, which operates more like a three-ringed circus with a backdrop of a Kangaroo court under the clownish behavior of Guardianship Commissioner Jon Norheim, who cant stop laughing at the troubled families who appear before him. We have learned that attorneys in Las Vegas "go along to get along". They file motions which are opposed 100% of the time by Mr. Shafer's attorney, Alan D. Freer, and Judge Norheim, who rejects them 100% of the time with a smirk on his face. Commissioner Jon Norheim has admitted he doesnt usually read the opposing motions he receives from attorneys who try to fight Mr. Shafer. Commissioner Norheim knows if we appeal his rulings to District Court, Judge Hoskin will automatically reject our filings and consistently agree with Commissioner Norheim. It doesnt appear Mr. Hoskin actually reads these opposition filings either. The judges have a record of doing what will benefit Mr. Shafer even if it means breaking state and federal laws.
So the stomach turns as the attorneys in Las Vegas play this game of we file, they reject. Judge denies, we file again. We try a higher court and again the court denies. File again, rejected again. Someone said oh what tangled webs we weave, when we practice to deceive. While all of this is taking place my fathers spirit dies slowly day-by-day because of the uncertainty of this cruel game. Jared Shafer said and the money just keeps adding up. His attorneys make money from my fathers estate, our attorneys make money and we waste away. Mr. Shafer said to one victim, we will continue this game until your spirit is broken. Yet no family law firm in Las Vegas actually tells their clients that this is what the game is. They just waste your money. The Clark County Family Court relishes this game because Mr. Shafer's attorneys can use money from the ward's estate while the family members get financially exploited by their attorneys, something Mr. Shafer brags and laughs about. This keeps the cash pumped into Clark County and most of this money is from out of state originally because the majority of victims are transplants from other states. They have built quite a racket similar to a small town speed trap. The scam lures people to Nevada for the promise of a better life and low taxes under the Nevada sun and then the guardians and the court system suck up all the seniors money. Unethical attorneys hit the community centers of the retirement developments and prey on the elders for estate planning and encourage one spouse to become guardian over the other so when the guardian dies the Public Guardian steps in or someone like Jared E. Shafer. They tell the out of state children of these victims "You are not a Nevada resident. You have no rights here."
Hutchison & Steffen failed to disclose this game of musical fraud in the form of motions and filings constantly being denied and rejected, all for the purpose to keep the cash flowing into Clark County. If you ask about constitutional rights, the simple answer is they DONT exist in Nevada, nor do the judges adhere to their own state statutes because if they did their precious guardians could not make a living as Norheim was quoted as saying.
Shame on you, Nevada. The state of Nevada is not a safe place to move or retire to if you are a senior or disabled in any way. Anyone reading this please discourage anyone you know that is considering moving or retiring to live in Nevada to not do it. It is a senior cash trap. It happened to my parents and it's happened to countless other victims I have spoken to. Even if half of the reports on this website about Jared E. Shafer and the guardianship circle of corruption are true, this is a very, very serious problem. Nevada is a bad place to live, especially if you want to retire. "What happens here, stays here" is the ad slogan for Las Vegas. Unfortunately this statement applies to senior citizen money more than the behavior in the hotels and casinos. We have written to the Attorney General of Nevada, Catherine Cortez Masto, asking for help. That was several weeks ago. No word. Why? Apparently her ties to Mr. Shafer go way back and her father actually is the person who created the above mentioned ad slogan for Las Vegas. The Internet is now exposing the truth. The cash cow is drying up and with that the fraud, which permeates the family courts. Hopefully this will soon be a thing of the past.
Letter to hutchison & steffen law firm:
Janet Tolleson
Hutchison & Steffen, LLC
10080 W. Alta Drive, Suite 200
Las Vegas, NV 89145
January 13
Dear Ms. Tolleson,
I find it distressing that a large, high profile estate planning firm would enlist the services of a collection agency which has blatantly violated Federal and State Laws by misrepresenting themselves as attorneys who are members of the Nevada bar. This so-called representative Mr. Weaver, speaking as an attorney for Hutchison & Steffen, claimed he had special connections with Nevada judges. Please understand I have witnesses who were in my home when this call took place. Mr. Weaver has harassed me on my home and cell phones. Mr. Weaver bragged he received my numbers from his attorney colleague at your firm. Mr. Weaver threatened to physically harm me and I have witnesses to prove this allegation. A police report is being filed. Mr. Weaver referred me to a nonexistent website and yelled at me when I couldnt find it. Mr. Weaver used profane language while claiming to be a licensed attorney. When I asked him for his bar number, he answered with a string of profanity. This fraudulent attorney sounded more like a mobster than a member of the legal profession. Mr. Weaver said, Las Vegas is a small town. Everyone knows everyone and I know where you and your husband live in California. Mr. Shafer is receiving a report about your actions. After hearing this statement I believe this collection agency has the markings of an entity directly associated with Jared E. Shafer.
My former attorney, John Guy, sent you a letter dated August 10, stating that I formally disputed your fees. Unfortunately no one contacted me to discuss this. Your actions were exactly as Jared Shafer predicted. Mr. Shafer told me during 2011 he controls all of the major family law firms in Las Vegas. After your firm lost the last court proceeding it was involved with, Mr. Shafer called and taunted me about the loss. Mr. Shafers actions convinced me that you were not really working for us.
I sent you my objections (outlined below) in August. It appears they were lost in your system. This letter, which is Gods truth, will be posted on the Internet to inform potential searchers looking for your business of your firms unethical practices and direct ties to Jared E. Shafer, who is now under criminal investigation by: Social Security, IRS, FBI and the Department of Justice. If you wish the number of the U.S. Attorney Im working with regarding this matter, please feel free to contact me and it will be provided.
My specific objections to your billings are the following:
A. Kim Boyer should not have been included in my representation. If I had known that Ms. Boyer was a guardian, I would not have hired your firm. It is highly unprofessional, unethical, and a conflict of interest for Kim Boyer (who apparently is a friend of Jared E. Shafer) to have referred me to your firm and been included in the contract with your firm. Mr. Shafer told me information from my case was leaked to him because of Boyers relationship with your firm.
B. The billings confirm that Kim Boyer did not assist in my case. Your billings indicate that Ms. Boyer never worked on my case, as she is not listed anywhere. Several other attorneys are mentioned, which is excessive. Your large legal team accomplished nothing.
C. Mrs. C., who was my co-guardian applicant and friend, disputed the charges several months ago and was told that Mr. Mayfield would call her regarding the billings. Mr. Mayfield did not call her. Mrs. C. Has generously and in good faith paid your firm more than $46,000 in fees. Mrs. C. Also saw no progress in the case.
D. The service from your firm has not been prompt or of high quality, as your contract promises. Your firm failed to do anything constructive to protect my father, his estate, or me. For example, I received many promises from Mr. Mayfield and Mr. Connot to follow through with the issues regarding special administration, the controversial text message, protecting my fathers home, obtaining an accounting from Mr. Shafer, and much more. Nothing was accomplished.
E. Your firm billed for the preparation of documents that were NEVER filed. I have emails from Mr. Mayfield stating that the special administration paperwork (re: my mothers personal injury settlement) was being prepared, but they were never filed, EVEN after I came to your office and signed the documents. You did not act to protect my mothers settlement money. These funds were lost because of your negligence.
F. You charged for preparing subpoenas to Patience Bristol regarding the text message to my fathers caregiver, in which Ms. Bristol forbade my father from going to a hearing, a violation of NRS Chapter 119. The subpoena was apparently not served, because the text message was not produced.
G. Your firms court appearances exhibited a lack of aggressive argument and strong, competent defense for my case. You appeared weak in court.
H. I was seldom consulted in advance of any decision-making, and your attorneys did not protect my fathers civil rights or recommend that he retain a lawyer at the outset. I now understand my father not being advised of his right to an attorney is a violation of several federal and state laws.instead, In January after that hearing, your attorneys, to cover up the violation of my fathers rights, consulted with an attorney (Dan Goodsell) outside your firm without my knowledge (and billed me for it) regarding representation for my father. Unfortunately my father wasnt represented in several hearings in which caused him to suffer significant losses. Mr. Connot and Mr. Mayfield did not consult with me before speaking to Mr. Goodsell about his possible representation of my father, but I was billed by both sides for this. We later reluctantly agreed to Mr. Goodsell representing my father. Mr. Goodsell attended a hearing, but we dismissed him before my father signed an agreement because Mr. Goodsell did the same thing that Mr. Mayfield and Mr. Connot did, making unnecessary and nonproductive calls to Mr. Shafers attorney, Alan D. Freer and the Senior Citizens Law Project without consulting with us first. Mr. Goodsell then had the audacity to bill me. He accomplished nothing for my father. Your firm recommended Mr. Goodsell. He was ineffective and a waste of money.
I. Mrs. C. Repeatedly complained to your firms attorneys that my father should have representation, but she was consistently told that they would take care of it. They never did—until the January hearing when nothing was accomplished.
J. We were billed for an extensive amount of research. What issues required research? What was learned? Please send me copies of the research memoranda. Furthermore, too many lawyers worked on our case. Connot and Mayfield are the only lawyers who should have charged for their services.
K. Mr. Mayfield spoke to Mr. Wade about my case. Mr. Wade caused me grief by speaking with America Seymour, a known corrupt VA employee and associate of Mr. Shafers. Because of this conversation, Ms. Seymour contacted Mr. Shafer, who had her call and harass me trying to find out my fathers address. This caused me much stress and jeopardized my fathers safety.
L. Mr. Mayfield told me that he would not charge for talking to Eve Mills at Wells Fargo or to the attorney, Ms. Isenhour. But I was billed for conversations with these people. Although Mr. Mayfield told me several times that he would deal with Ms. Mills at Wells Fargo Trust pro bono, he never followed through. Mr. Mayfield said that he would request copies of all billings submitted to the trust from Mr. Shafer and his associates, but he never did.
M. Your firm should have taken care of the problem of the attorney, Elyse Tyrell, and her conflict of interest. Not knowing who mr. Shafer was after the Guardianship Commissioners office of Jon Norheim gave me Mr. Shafers UNLISTED HOME PHONE NUMBER, I hired Ms. Tyrell because Mr. Shafer said she would help me, but Ms. Tyrell turned around and then fought me by working for Mr. Shafer because as it turned out she WAS Mr. Shafers attorney. Again, Mr. Shafer has repeatedly taunted me about your firms inability to act on our behalf. It was Mrs. C. Attorney, Mr. Boggess, who initiated the actions to have Ms. Tyrell remove herself from the case. This is something that your attorneys should have done IMMEDIATELY when the case began.
Your firm has failed to competently and diligently produce positive results for my case. Yet we were billed more than $60,000.00 for services that did not yield productive results.
What my father and I received from your services are listed as follows:
1) No attorney for my father;
2) No filing of the subpoenas for Patience M. Bristol or the text message;
3) No filing for the special administration;
4) No accounting of Mr. Shafers billings to Wells Fargo Trust;
5) No services from Kim Boyer;
6) Weak and inadequate representation in court;
7) No proof of research;
8) No protection of my fathers civil rights;
9) No consulting in advance on significant decisions to be made;
10) Billings for several attorneys whose services were not necessary and who accomplished nothing;
11) No removal of Ms. Tyrell by you for the conflict of interest, and
12) Lack of disclosure
And most importantly and of a very serious nature, I also learned that your firm supported Jared E. Shafer in the hearing regarding his ethics violations. Mark Hutchison actually made the motions to let Mr. Shafer off of the charges. This is a complete nondisclosure on the part of your firm, which makes any contract between us null and void.in fact I want the $46,000 Mrs. C. Paid to you returned to her. Documents of this 2004 Nevada state ethics proceeding are on the Internet and one is attached here. Please understand that the documents I will post will be directly linked to the Shafer Ethics proceedings for all to see. If I had known that one of your firms owners had supported Jared E. Shafer, I would NOT have considered hiring your firm. Your firms support of Mr. Shafer should have been disclosed, so that I could have made an informed decision. Your firms previous support of Mr. Shafer explains why your representation was weak.in fact, another victim of Jared E. Shafers exploitation and abuse tried to warn me that your firm had connections to him.
Your breach of contract, conflict of interest, lack of disclosure and failure to adhere to our contract of your firm competently and diligently producing positive results are all reasons why I dispute your billings.
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