Judge Waste of Space presides over Orange County probate court
Rita King is desperate to save her father, but a waste of space for a judge is likely to thwart her efforts.
Judge David Belz, of the Orange County, California probate system, loves to use the word efficiency.
Two words more apt however are hypocrisy and cynicism.
Judge David Belz was presiding over the conservatorship of Gustave Verdult.
He used the word several times, along with several of the attorneys.
Judge David Belz believes in efficiency.
That’s why I’d like to know why Mr. Verdult has been stuck in conservatorship for nearly five years: a conservatorship which is actually and technically temporary.
Judge Waste of Space Belz likes to talk about efficiency while doing nothing efficiently. Take the hearing I watched today: July 31, 2023.
There are so many issues which remain outstanding that Judge Waste of Space couldn’t keep track: four maybe five. He’s not really sure.
This should raise his eyebrows, given that this case was opened in 2019, but he’s a waste of space.
He should be even more concerned because the entire four years and more that Gustave has been in conservatorship he’s been in a temporary conservatorship.
None of this concerned Judge Waste of Space and he pushed all matters, but one to a future date- an uncertain future because nothing is resolved.
None of this is supposed to happen, according to California law, but Judge Waste of Space doesn’t care. Take a look at the photo below.
Most of the people in that photo are attorneys or otherwise appointed by the court, and they are all making a lot of money.
As such, there’s no reason to put an end to a temporary conservatorship nearing in on five years.
The people in the photo aren’t even all the people involved. There is guardian ad litem (GAL), Rod Stern. Gustave’s court appointed attorney was not there either.
That’s right. He has a GAL and a court appointed attorney.
That is interesting. I spoke with Gustave’s daughter: Rita King.
She said after nearly four grueling years this case was near a settlement except Stern and the court appointed attorney for her dad are now holding up an agreement.
They weren’t there, and none of the other attorneys could resolve it. There is still no agreement. This case may go to trial, or it may not, because we have a waste of space for a judge.
Rita has been battling the probate court trying to save her father since 2019.
She told me that she was advised to place her father into a temporary conservatorship during a mental health crisis about five years ago.
It would last a few months, she believed.
That advice was given by Eric Becker, part of the Orange County probate mafia.
“Once the legal system grabs hold of someone you love,” said Wayne Dolcefino in the report above, “They never seem to let go.”
Rita is finding that out the hard way. A series of machinations and delays kept this charade of a temporary conservatorship {the California equivalent of guardianship} going from 2019 until late 2022, when a settlement was reached, or so Rita thought.
Now, it’s being blocked by the GAL and her dad’s lawyer, neither of whom bothered to attend this hearing.
There are other members of the Orange County mafia who have filtered through Rita’s father’s case, like David Shaver.
The corrupt star of the show today was the aforementioned Judge Waste of Space; he was also previously assigned to Jodee Sussman’s mom’s case.
Judge Waste of Space wasn’t sure if there were four or five items to resolve.
“We’ve got one, two three, four, five issues…looks like four.” Judge Waste of Space said approximately forty-five seconds into the hearing.
Then, he talked a lot, listened a little, used high minded words like “efficiency” a lot and nothing was resolved.
They’ll have another hearing later, when, these same issues are likely to also not get resolved.
Rita was trying to have herself reappointed trustee and durable power of attorney for medical decision-making.
What’s the difference between that and conservatorship? Who knows except conservatorship is more intrusive and a lot more people can make money with conservatorship.
That’s when Judge Waste of Space made a revealing comment.
“The public code is really clear on a couple things. When there is a lot of conflict internally- within the beneficiaries and the parties are basically affected by the trust- the public policy says the courts duty and responsibility is to bring in someone independent.” Judge Waste of Space stated.
Someone independent is someone court appointed. Apparently, public policy in California encourages a pernicious form of legalized racketeering.
The court actors stoke conflict, and then courts appoint people who are “independent.”
Those people charge hundreds of dollars an hour, and the conflict never seems to get resolved.
{Check out my interview with attorney Evan Nelso for another California case where this happened}
This case has a trustee, a conservator, a GAL, Gustavo’s attorney, along with attorneys for all the other parties.
According to Judge Waste of Space, public policy is designed to make it so because that’s what reduces the conflict.
That must be why this temporary conservatorship is heading into year five, because all of the “independent” people are reducing the conflict. {SARCASM}
Finally, at the end, Rita begged Judge Waste of Space to protect her dad. Hewas not being given medication and medical care, Rota said in the hearing.
Judge Waste of Space did the only right thing: he removed Rita as the power of attorney for medical care.
I’m not kidding. Rita complained about her father not being proper medical care. Kaylee Sauvey, an attorney on the call, blamed Rita, so Judge Waste of Space removed Rita.
Are you confused? I’m confused. Gustave has a trustee, a GAL, an attorney, a conservator, but Rita- who is currently none of the other things- is his power of attorney for medical care.
Maybe, I’m intruding but that might be the problem. All the independent third parties there to “reduce the conflict” may just be making things far too complicated.
That must be why Judge Waste of Space removed Rita, not anyone else.
Postscript:
Check out the previous articles on the series on Orange County. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8. Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18, Part 19, Part 20, Part 21, Part 22, Part 23, Part 24, Part 25. Part 26, Part 27, Part 28, Part 29, Part 30, Part 31, Part 33, Part 34, Part 35, Part 36, and Part 37.
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