CHILD ADVOCATE OF THE MONTH

[Anonymous]

SUE SCHEFF

ADVOCATE WHO HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES, FLORIDA  

CAICA would like to recognize the hard work of Sue Scheff, an
  advocate for parents and children. Sue helps distraught parents
  who are seeking help for their troubled teens.

  Sue has worked tirelessly for the past seven years in an effort
  to help bring families back together when they have fallen apart.


  She provides parents the tools and resources to find help for their troubled teens. Her goals
  are to help families stay together when possible, and to help locate safe and effective
  treatment if and when it is necessary.

  Her organization, Parents Universal Resources Experts, Inc. (PURE), and the Coalition
  Against Institutionalized Child Abuse (CAICA), have learned that together we are very
  effective in helping families - our organizations complement each other. It is our goal to
  make a difference in the lives of families and to help them recognize the dangers of this
  unregulated industry.

  Sue's daughter was abused at a World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools
  (WWASPS) facility, Carolina Springs Academy. Upon learning of the abuse not only her
  daughter had suffered, but many others as well, she set out to make a difference. In her
  attempt to warn parents of the dangers of WWASPS, she was sued by this corporate giant.
  She fought a legal battle that cost nearly a million dollars in legal fees, won in a jury trial,
  then was taken back to court on an appeal. She won the appeal. Many people would have
  given up but she was dedicated to helping families and continued in her quest to make a
  difference.

  If that wasn't enough, she was defamed and her privacy was invaded by a group of people
  who had a vendetta against her and her organization. They worked tirelessly to bash her
  on Internet forums. She fought back and just won an $11.3 million dollar jury verdict
  for Slander, Defamation, and Invasion of Privacy. $5 million of that was punitive damages
  meant to punish the defendant. This verdict sends a strong message that free speech can
  only be taken so far.

  Sue is a colleague and she is a friend. I thank her for the tireless work she has done and
  continues to do.

http://www.caica.org/ADVOCATE%20Cathy%2 ... Lorida.htm

[Anonymous]

Child advocateMY ASS[/color].  Money grubbing FREAK is more like it.

:flame:





SUE SCHEFF AND FLORIDA COMPANY WIN EMPTY VICTORY OVER NEW ORLEANS MOM

International Survivors Action Committee (ISAC)
10/7/2006 1:07:27 AM

BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA (October 6, 2006) - On September 19, 2006, Parents Universal Resource Experts, Inc. (PURE) and its founder, Sue Scheff of Weston, Florida won an $11.3 million dollar victory of hollow sorts over a single mom in Texas alleging defamation over the Internet. Although it is doubtful the verdict will be collected, it may serve to chill free speech of those attempting to expose child abuse or untoward business practices and destroy the credit of the mom sued.


The mom, Carey Bock, had publicly criticized the business practices of Scheff and PURE in referring children to allegedly abusive programs. Scheff met the mother?s complaints with a lawsuit.


The mom lacked the financial resources to defend herself or to attend her own trial in Florida. As a result, without the benefit of hearing the mom?s side of the story, a jury had little choice but to award the $11.3 million dollar verdict requested by the lawyer for Scheff and her company.


Before trial, Ms. Bock relocated her small family from the New Orleans area to Texas in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. This, however, did not stop Scheff and PURE from coming full-steam after the mom for alleged defamation and other claims.


According to the Daily Business Review, Scheff also named Ginger Warbis as co-defendant. Warbis, who runs a web site critical of Scheff, obtained a well-know lawyer who successfully defeated Scheff?s claims of defamation: ?Warbis? lawyer, Philip Elberg, of Medvin & Elberg of Newark, New Jersey, sharply criticized Scheff and other people who refer parents to programs for troubled teens. ?People in this industry have consistently used their money and their access to lawyers to silence critics of the industry and this may be one of those examples,? Elberg said. ?Sue Scheff is simply another person in the industry of people who make money from the plight of frightened parents.??


The Daily Business Review, noting that Scheff and her business won effectively only by default, paraphrased Scheff?s attorney, stating, ?Bock was not present for the jury trial, which was held to determine damages only. . . .?


Ironically, a separate lawsuit had been filed in Utah against Scheff and PURE by the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs (WWASP), with similar allegations, resulting in Scheff losing counter-claims. Scheff, however, was not found liable for claims of damage to WWASP that Scheff allegedly caused when Scheff posted Internet statements asserting child abuse by WWASP. Scheff admitted she used false names to do so. Scheff was reportedly told by a Utah federal judge to remove misrepresentations from her web site showing Scheff holds a college degree.


The Florida verdict also ignored abuse allegations at children?s programs to which Scheff refers families because the jury never heard the opposing evidence. The owner of one such program to which Scheff made referrals, Whitmore Academy, recently pled guilty to specified charges in a Utah criminal court.


According to the non-profit International Survivors Action Committee (ISAC), Scheff and her company are on the ISCA ?watch list? for questionable practices that may place children at risk for abuse or neglect. ####




Related Links


www.referralfreezone.info


www.isaccorp.org





Contact Information
Shelby Earnshaw
Founder
International Survivors Action Committee (ISAC)
(540) 522-6231
isaccorp@yahoo.com

[Anonymous]

SUE SCHEFF

ADVOCATE WHO HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES, FLORIDA  

[Rude Intrusion]

If it wasn't such a laugh, it'd be a cry.

Wonder who'll get the honor next moth? Can CaCa nominate Izzy? Or, would that seem to self promoting?  :roll: Wouldn't want to be accused of  self promotion, now would they? But who else would tolerate being associated with CaCa and PURE? I guess there are still a few deluded fools around Izzy and Sue can play with. But for how long?

I'm wondering if all this press attention might serve to bring the Bock woman a lawyer willing to fight a good fight? Some civil rights minded old hippie who thinks a person should be able to express their POV even on the internet? I feel like there are appeals to be filed - and who knows, maybe even counter suits?

If Bock can get back in court, and prove what she expressed as opinion was mostly true, that might change things. There might be people who could render true and helpful testimony along those lines.

Another thought occurs to me: If Bock's comments on Fornits damaged Scheff buy amounts in the Millions  :roll: then PURE must be raking in the dough! Think maybe one person might have turned aways from using PURE as a result? Think even one? Is one or two lost placements worth so many millions? Or Is Scheffs ego so damned massive damage to it is worth millions?