Corruption in the Santa Cruz Courts

As I mentioned, my suit involves several easements. Two easements do not have any legal deeds and two easements are exclusive. My neighbors Niki and Tim Bowden claim ownership of my land through these exclusive easements. One exclusive easement was drafted two months before Ken Haber and Catherine Lynch agreed to sell me the property; indicating that Haber and Lynch intended to sell me land I cannot use, except for paying taxes.

In May of 08, I considered settling with my realtor Alan Melikian and Bailey Property for a small amount of money, because I needed the money. Currently, I am a single mom and a fourth year law student. However, no settlement was reduced to writing. In fact, their attorney Hamerslough never exchanged documents with me, which was a condition to the settlement agreement. However, Judge Stevens ruled that the settlement was enforceable without hearing any of the terms of the settlement and without a written agreement. A Judge cannot enforce agreements made outside of court, without a written agreement. This is against all established law and is mind boggling to me. Alan Melikian and Bailey Properties wanted me to agree not to talk about this case, even though it is ongoing. However, I said no and am going to write about this case and the extraordinary judicial abuse that exists against the pro per litigant. I have not accepted any settlement money.

Another party included in the law suit is Santa Cruz Title. SCT filed a demurrer, which allows a party out of a case with no discovery. SCT claims they were not named in my lawsuit and that they had no duty to me for mishandling my escrow. However, SCT is properly listed in my complaint and according to the law they do have a duty as escrow holder. All one has to do is READ the complaint to see that SCT is listed property under the correct cause of action. Even so, Judge Samuel Stevens ruled in their favor, with no discovery; indicating that SCT can operate in Santa Cruz with absolute immunity because the Santa Court refuses to hold their local corporation accountable. Therefore, I encourage everyone in Santa Cruz to be aware that if you use SCT and they make a mistake, the local court will not hold them accountable.

Further, months before a settlement conference, Judge Burdick stopped all discovery because attorney Bosso objected to only one interrogatory (discovery questionnaire). Such a ruling never happens, except in this case where Bosso, the opposing counsel, is married to Judge Atack. Then, during the settlement conference, Judge Burdick was not interested in the merits of my case. Judge Burdick's only approach was to attempt to intimidate me by telling me that pro pers never win. After the settlement, I discovered that Bosso's client, the Bowden's were unlawfully using a third easement that I had not yet discovered. This easement also does not have a deed. Discovery would had revealed this easement, and if the settlement went through as initially agreed, Bosso would have knowingly manipulated me into giving up my rights to this easement. Bosso, and Bowden's knew, or should have known, of their unlawful use of this road before the settlement conference. As a result, Judge Burdick excused himself from the case and my case was delayed for almost one year; resulting in my sustaining financial damage in a declining real estate market. I had my tape recorder with me during this settlement conference.

Recently, a head hunter called me and told me that before Judge Stevens was a judge, he was this man's attorney in the 80s. This man stated that Judge Stevens told him that the Santa Cruz courts were such a 'good old boy network' that he would be better off if he could get his case out of Santa Cruz County. At that time this man's opposing counsel was a son of Judge Pickering (I don't know if this spelling is right) and it was pretty well known that extreme judicial prejudice existed because of this connection. My opposing counsel, Mr. Bosso, partner is married to a local judge and I believe his success comes in part from this relationship. This means that a local judge financially benefits from Bosso's success in Santa Cruz.

I am writing a book called "From Rags to Middle Class" where I will be discussing judicial abuse against pro per litigants, even when the pro per litigant reasonably can work within the system. If the poor and middle class cannot have their case heard fairly based upon the merits, then they essentially do not have reasonable access to the courts. This is one of the reasons are our entire political system has become so corrupt.

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