Clark County District Court will receive a grant to address major issues in the guardianship system--problems Darcy Spears identified in her ongoing Contact 13 Investigation "Guardianship Under Fire.
A major lack of oversight in the courts has torn families apart and victimized the vulnerable people it was supposed to protect. The grant is intended to assist the court to improve how it handles guardianship cases.
Below is a Media Release from the Nevada Supreme Court:
Conservatorship Accountability Project (CAP) Aims to Improve Nevada's Guardianship CourtsLAS VEGAS, Nevada, January 22, 2016 - The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) has announced the approval of a grant to assist Nevada in the planning efforts and performance of guardianship proceedings.Nevada was one of five states in the country to be selected for this unique grant. The planning grant will aid the Nevada team in prioritizing the planning phase, which includes acquiring and modifying the software and developing a sound implementation plan. It is expected that the project will be piloted in the Eighth Judicial District Court and transferred to additional jurisdictions when they reach the necessary capacity."The Conservatorship Accountability Project software will standardize inventory and account reporting; automate the process of flagging cases of concern; and maximize limited resources to enable the court to improve processing, overseeing and adjudicating guardianship cases," said Eighth Judicial District Chief Judge David Barker. "This software brings the court much closer to meeting our goal of achieving national best practices for guardianship cases."Since 2015, the Commission to Study the Administration of Guardianships in Nevada's Courts has reviewed the processes for creating guardianships and conservatorships. The CAP technology will benefit the judiciary by flagging areas of concern, improving court oversight, and maximizing resources, said Justice James W. Hardesty, Chairman of the Commission."I am extremely pleased that the National Center for State Courts selected Nevada as one of only five states to be awarded this important grant. The work of the Guardianship Commission, the Eighth Judicial District Court, and other district courts around the state provided convincing evidence to the NCSC of Nevada's progress in making many needed reforms to our system," said Justice Hardesty.The NCSC award will be used within the next 12 months based on recommendations made by the Commission, which is expected to make a final recommendation to the Nevada Supreme Court by July 1, 2016.
