Sue Scheff Spin on Whitmore Settlement

[Anonymous]

Sunday, January 4, 2009
The Whitmore Academy Settles - but Doesn't Lose
 
Our legal system is set up in a way that most cases settle rather than going through trial. Insurance companies are notorious for wanting to settle to avoid going through a costly and often lengthy trial. Most clients are left with no choice but to settle their case, even when they know they are innocent.

And that's exactly what has happened with the Whitmore Academy case.

Many people who have followed this case, read most of the depositions (on both sides), hearings, etc. believe the plaintiffs would have lost their case if it had gone to trial.

The plaintiffs believed they had a multi-million dollar case when in reality the case settled for $450K – only a fraction of what they had expected. The question is why?

After reading the many facts of this case, it was clear to those who have been closely following the case that the plaintiffs never had a winning case. In fact, the initiator of this vindictive lawsuit withdrew. It has been said she did not want "blood money" when in reality it became obvious she simply did not want to be deposed.

The Deseret News wrote a very partisan article shortly after the settlement. They made no attempt to contact the defendants' lawyers or the defendants themselves.

Immediately after the article was released Phil Ferguson, the Suweeks' lawyer, contacted the Deseret News and wrote a letter to the reporter.
Below is a copy of the original e-mail that was sent to the Deseret News:


From: Phil Ferguson <Phillip.Ferguson@chrisjen.com>
Date: November 26, 2008 1:26:26 PM MST
To: phillip.ferguson@chrisjen.com
Website: http://www.chrisjen.com/

My support of the Sudweeks and their program prompted a group of radicals to target me on the Internet. They posted twisted truths and outright lies about me, my family and even some of my friends. They even accused me of supporting child abuse. As a parent whose daughter was abused at a teen help program, I would never support child abuse of any kind, including in any program. When their threats turned to my children I had no choice but to defend myself.

I endured a long and stressful court case and was as shocked as anyone else when the jury verdict was returned: $11.3 Million dollars in my favor. The jurors wanted to send a message to my abuser that you can't defame a person on the Internet simply because you don't like them.

It is clear to anyone who knows me and the work I have done that after a decade of helping thousands of families my motivation clearly is to help educate parents - not place their children in harmful situations.

If you would like to know more about me and my story you can read my first book, "Wit's End! Advice and Resources for Saving Your Out of Control Teen - A Mother and Daughter's True Story" published by Health Communications, Inc. (HCI). HCI is the publisher that brought you the Chicken Soup for the Soul Book Series.

In my opinion, many people in today's society sue others simply because they can. I was recently told by an attorney that his practice is booming as the economy declines. People are suing each other hoping for collections, often not understanding the scope of what it truly means to be involved in a lawsuit.

Mark and Cheryl will sustain this - with constant flow of encouraging letters from former students and parents, they know they helped literally hundreds of families. They made a positive difference. They will not allow a few money grubbers (my opinion) destroy their life's work. And the best news is a major Hollywood Producer is interested in bringing this story to the big screen, as well as a book that will be released by a major publisher. It is nice to know when bad things happen to good people, there are those that will use their ability to bring the real story to the surface.




As a footnote: There was also a criminal lawsuit that was filed against the Whitmore. The state indicated they did not have the evidence needed to prove abuse or to prosecute the Sudweeks. They entered into a plea agreement with the Sudweeks in an effort to resolve the case.
The information above (excluding the attorney letter) is the opinion of the author.
Posted by Sue Scheff at 6:54 AM  
Labels: Cheryl Sudweeks, Mark Sudweeks, The Whitmore Academy, Whitmore Academy, Whitmore Mansion
Older Post Home The Whitmore Mansion
 
A place for positive change!
 Whitmore kids exploring Canada!
 

 Cheryl Sudweek (Owner of The Whitmore)
 
Taking the kids for ice cream....
 Whitmore kids visiting NASA
 

 Whitmore kids enjoying a day riding!
 

 Whitmore Kids Singing
 
All About a Positive Environment
 Horses were a part of The Whitmore
 
that helped many teens through difficult times.
 Happy Times at The Whitmore Came to an End when a Mother with a Secret Placed her Daughter
Many kids and parents I have spoken with described this mother as a cartoon character familiar to many of us, Cruella De Ville. So decided to depict her in that manner. This is all a matter of opinion, however the parents and kids had first hand experiences with this person - and the Honker Girl website shed the light.

 Students have described this mother with a SECRET
 
as Cruella De Vil
 Cruella - Running from who she REALLY IS!
 
Patti Atwoods? Judy Browne? Donna Ware? HONKERGIRL! What is she hiding from?
 Cruella De Vil
 
Her emails are telling....
 Joyce Harris, San Antonio TX
2009 Update on The Whitmore Academy
Honker Girl USA - San Antonio, TX.Honker60Girl
Did you find a place to park? Maybe you can take ...
Does Cruella Live Near Duncanville, TX?
Joyce Harris
 Links to Review
Sue Scheff Website
Wit's End! Book
Parent's Universal Resource Experts (P.U.R.E.)
 Blog Archive
? 2009 (1)
? January (1)
The Whitmore Academy Settles - but Doesn't Lose
? 2007 (7)
? November (2)
What Does Cruella have to Hide?
Thanks to Lon Woodbury at Struggling Teens for Sha...
? September (1)
Another side to the Whitmore Academy, and most say...
? June (1)
Thank you........
? May (1)
Cruella De Vil strikes again....
? March (2)
The Whitmore Academy - My experiences - 2009 UPDAT...
The Whitmore Academy - The SECRET! Shhh....
 
 About Me
Sue Scheff
As a Parent Advocate and Author, my First Book "Wit's End!" is now available. Published by the publishers that brought you Chicken Soup Book Series for the Soul series. Order today at www.witsendbook.com My second book is due out in Fall 2009 - watch out, this will be on today's hottest topic!
View my complete profile
 Sue Scheff Naymz Profile

 
 Zigg!

[Anonymous]

As a plaintiff in the case against Whitmore Academy I would like to "set the record" straight.
 
First: The plaintiffs did not sue for multi-millions of dollars.
 
Second:  The depositions were only available to the parties to the lawsuit.  So, that being said, who are all these people who have read the depositions "on both sides" and how does Ms. Scheff know what is contained in them?
 
Third:  Who, aside from the parties to the lawsuit attended any "hearings"?  And exactly which ones, and what was actually the subject of those hearings?  Are there really a lot of people who were aware of when any hearings might be held in court in the town of Nephi?  
Where would they -- if "they" exist -- have gotten this information?  Did hordes of people actually fly into Salt Lake, then drive two hours to Nephi to attend a 10-minute court hearing on a point of law??  Ms. Scheff, shame on you, you insult the intelligence of your readers.
 
 FYI - most hearings are concerning legal matters, not TESTIMONY.
 
Fourth:  The allegations against the Whitmore were and are true.  There are documents and witnesses and testimony that back this up. Contrary to what you state in your blog, there is PROOF.
 
FIFTH:  MS. SCHEFF, WHAT FACTS ARE YOU BASING YOUR "OPINIONS" ON?  IT IS VERY OBVIOUS TO ME THAT YOU HAVE FABRICATED MUCH OF WHAT YOU HAVE STATED.   YOU ARE TRYING TO IMPLY THAT YOU AND OTHERS NOT INVOLVED IN THE LAWSUIT HAVE INFORMATION THAT THEY COULD NOT POSSIBLY HAVE OBTAINED.  CONTRARY TO WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO CONVEY, THE LEGAL SYSTEM ALSO SETS UP RULES TO PRESERVE THE PRIVACY OF ALL THOSE INVOLVED.
 
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, ASIDE FROM YOUR INSISTANCE THAT THIS LAWSUIT AGAINST THE WHITMORE WAS INITIATED BY JOYCE HARRIS, THAT IS VERY SIMPLY "A LIE," A LIE THAT YOU SEEM TO WANT TO PERPETUATE.  WHY??
 
I FIND YOUR BLOG AND YOUR OPINIONS TO BE VINDICTIVE, ADOLESCENT AND VERY UNPROFESSIONAL.  YOUR SELF-IMPORTANCE IS PATHETIC -- IN MY OPINION.  
 
SUSAN SCHACHERER

[Anonymous]

To add to my previous post, I would like to correct Ms. Scheff's implication that the insurance company just wanted to settle and actually paid the full $450,000 to the plaintiffs.  This also is not true.  The plaintiffs were willing to settle a year before the actual settlement was reached.  There were also only a COUPLE of plaintiffs who were covered by the insurance company.  Therefore, the insurance company did not pay the full $450,000 to the plaintiffs.  The defendants, Mark and Cheryl Sudweeks, were responsible for paying what the insurance company did not pay.  
 
As far as the criminal case is concerned, Jared Eldridge PERSONALLY told me he did not take the case to trial because, if Cheryl were to be found "guilty," the punishment would have been the same as what was reached in the plea.  He stated to me that he "believed" the kids and he did not want to "put them through" any more than they had already been through.  If he had not thought that he had a case, the charges would not have been brought.  Surely, you give a little more credit to the County Attorney's Office.  I think their responsibilities entail a little more sophistication than a little game of high school "gossip."   Again, Ms. Scheff, you insult your readers.
 
Just where are you getting your information?  I can document mine, can you document yours??  If so, let's see it.  If not, SHUT UP.

[psy]

She won't shut up because she still has an interest in the Sudweeks (IMO).  Otherwise she would have just covered this up like so many other things. The details of the current deal with the sudweeks is a mystery for the time being, however.

[Anonymous]

Susan Schacherer is litigious.  I can't believe she is suing again.  This time dragging a troubled grandchild into the mix.  What's next for her!

[Anonymous]

tWhat lawsuit are you talking about?  I have only been involved in one lawsuit in my life -- the one involving the Whitmore Academy -- which, as you know, settled quite a few months ago.  So who are you?  And why are you making false statements?   The tune sounds a little familiar, the  lyricks are just a little different.  Composer Sue Scheff