Image stolen from courthouse news. Was this the tee shirt image on the shirts being passed out at the CJA meeting?
Much to our surprise, Judge Kevin McCormick was presented with a list of AOC employees and their monthly earnings as well as a list of Apple One temps and their hourly earnings. What has been excluded from these lists are consultants who have contracts directly with the AOC and not through Apple One.
We wish to add those additional names (if you know them) of individuals paid by the AOC under consultant direct contracts that work for the AOC to help everyone out and keep the AOC honest, since it is these independent “forever” consultants that also happen to make the most money.
We’re not sure why they were excluded from this list as they work in the capacity of in-house consultants and not temp workers. What we do know is that this group of consultants that have been excluded from this list make more money than those paid via Apple One. This is where it is probably in the best interests of AOC employees to quietly disclose via our confidential and anonymous contact form (link) because in reality these people are the ones where process is being abused. Just give us the names and the department they work for and we will add these consultants to this post. We will let others verify how much and under what terms these individuals perform work for the AOC.
And now the rest of the story from Courthouse News.
*Note: Internal phone directories might also aid us in determining the accuracy of these lists.
Replies to our confidential contact form:
- “The list is missing retiree double dippers that work for the AOC”
- “Kackie Cohen, Information Services – a long term in house consultant”
- “Kathleen Clancy KC/Futureplanning. Information Services – a long term in house consultant”
- “Fred Stetson, the former senior manager of the facilities management unit is now a facilities management consultant serving guess who?”
MrsKramer
September 21, 2011
Way to go, Judge McCormick!! Its people like you who give me faith to believe there is still hope for our judicial system.
tony maino
September 21, 2011
Yes, Judge McCormick deserves a kudos.
We all need to give a thanks to the free press in this country as exemplified by Maria Dinzeo and the Courthouse News. They go where the facts take them.
Wendy Darling
September 21, 2011
As has been said before, Courthouse News, Maria Dinzeo, and Bill Girdner all deserve a Crystal Gavel award. And then some.
Long live the First Amendment. And long live the ACJ.
antonatrail
September 21, 2011
If one were confident in what one was doing, there would be no fear in telling all. Why does the AOC constantly stonewall, obfuscate and deny? Spill it and let the chips fall where they may, if you are honest and straightforward. Why the stealth? Face your naysayers with hard facts. C’mon, the American public is very forgiving. If you feel you have done nothing wrong, what is holding you back?
I strongly urge there be a complete forensic audit of all public funds acquired by the AOC/JC going back as far as possible.
Michael Paul
September 22, 2011
Take a page from the Clinton Administration. Be honest, sincere and apologetic and the pain, stress and scandal will quickly dissolve. Be secretive, stonewall, obfuscate and deny and people are going to become angry and come to believe there is rampant corruption that is being covered up.
lando
September 21, 2011
I think the AOC continues to be out of control and uninterested in the problems confronting the trial courts including the one their crystal palace at 455 Golden Gate sits in. Why is it necessary to fill Mr Overholt’s former position with “Regional Manager” Chris Patton ? Given the sad realities of the state budget and the fact that trial courts are reducing services to the public and laying off their employees, couldn’t the AOC take a step back and consider saving some meaningful taxpayer dollars by not filling Mr Overholt’s former position ?The reality is the AOC and its leaders and sponsors, the new CJ and the same old JC can’t help themselves. They exist only for their garnering further power and control for themselves at the expense of the public , the trial courts and anyone who seeks to have a democratic third branch of government.
Been There
September 21, 2011
Bravo Judge McCormick and Bravo to Justice Arthur Scotland for his firm support of Judge McCormick’s request.
MrsKramer
September 22, 2011
Did the cover letter say, “Honorable Judge McCormick, Attached is the complete, entire, 100% accurate listing of all our employees and all of our contractors not including all of our contractors. Sincerely AOC”
Nathaniel Woodhull
September 22, 2011
Coming Attractions!
Governor Jerry Brown is going to demand an audit of the Judicial Branch, at the expense of the Branch. Expect to see the judiciary cut even more than expected in the 2012-13 fiscal year.
Apparently the Governor believes, and sadly he is probably right, that the AOC has more money squirreled away up at 455 Golden Gate Avenue and he is intent on bleeding them out of that cash before any additional funding is restored to the branch.
Way to go HRH-1, HRH-2, Vickery, Overholt and Mr. Nash. (Notice how Stephen Nash quietly got out of town when HRH-1 left!)
Judge McCormick did a great thing by pursuing his requests. If the AOC owns up to almost a thousand employees, you can be sure that there are many more being “employed” that will show up on another set of books.
Lando is absolutely correct. The move with Chris Patton, just like Shiela Gonzalez Calabro, is to simply pad her retirement. Watch for her to leave in 2012.
Let’s not forget that the ones who are really suffering in this power struggle (yes I’m talking to you Minnie-Me) are the members of the public that some of us actually try and serve to the best of our abilities. I’m starting to feel like a schoolteacher in that I am having to bring things from home and/or buy my own supplies to run a courtroom. I predict that by September 2012, many of our courts will only be open to handle criminal cases (which will skyrocket because of the short-sighted/unfunded fix that is “Realignment”.) If you want to go to court to deal with traffic, small claims, general civil, complex civil, family law or probate next year, all I can say is “good luck” and “viya con Dios.”
keeping the FAITH
September 22, 2011
If there is indeed an audit and the AOC has more money than they want people to believe they have, is is possible for the governor and or legislature to order the AOC to use that money for the trial courts? Also, if it is found that money has been, for the lack of a better word been stolen, would heads roll?
It is clear as day that there has been gross mismanagement, waste, etc going on at the AOC and it must end.
Also, the AOC provided names, titles and salaries of approx 980 employees. What about the other 200 or more? They claimed that they would have to layoff employees due to cuts to their budget. Has anyone seen a list of those employees who face layoffs? Has it even been brought up since they made that announcement?
What about the 87/13 proposal that was mentioned here a few weeks ago? 90/10 sounds so much better. Is there any hope that this will happen in January? When will this ten plus year nightmare end?
I still have faith and believe that like the old Sam Cooke song says ‘a change is gonna come’
Thank you for your time.
Delilah
September 22, 2011
KTF, >If there is indeed an audit and the AOC has more money than they want people to believe they have, is is possible for the governor and or legislature to order the AOC to use that money for the trial courts? Also, if it is found that money has been, for the lack of a better word been stolen, would heads roll?<
I would venture to guess that the answers to those questions are "no" and "no." I welcome any analysis that would give us any hope to the contrary.
Commercial IT
September 22, 2011
On the staff list referenced by Maria Dinzeo, I note a CCMS group and a much larger ISD group. What on earth would all those ISD people have to do? Are some of them working on CCMS? Does anyone know?
Commercial IT
September 22, 2011
How could Dennis B. Jones be an executive at the AOC. He’s the head clerk for Sacramento County Superior Court. ????
Wendy Darling
September 22, 2011
Because Dennis Jones and the AOC have a deal with Jones whereby Dennis Jones is carried on the AOC’s payroll as an AOC executive in order to give Jones an enhanced CalPers retirement, which the Sacramento Superior Court doesn’t offer. The fact that Dennis Jones isn’t actually an employee of the AOC, and the deal probably violates CalPers regulations, doesn’t seem to matter to anyone.
Long live the ACJ.
Attractive Dissenter
September 22, 2011
The deal is Dennis Jones is triple dipping. He is drawing his retirement from 2 other agencies while collecting a full salary. Not to mention he is also vesting in a third. This could only be accomplished by “working” through the AOC. Wonder if our legislators know about this scam?????
Stuart Michael
September 22, 2011
This list is very revealing
there are well over 100 AOC employees making over $120 K per year, not including OGC attorneys which probably reflects labor market conditions in the Bay Area (another good reason to relocate the AOC to Sacramento)
a departmental breakdown of the big earners is:
Ex Office – 3 (including Clark Kelso at over $200K
Office of Emergency Response – 1
CFCC – 14
Education – 12
Exec Office Programs – 6
Southern Regional – 3
Northern Regional – 2
Bay Area – 3
Trial Ct Admin Svcs – 5
CCMS – 6
Finance – 8
HR – 5
ISD – 26
OCCM – 15
If the regional offices (totally wasted $$) were eliminated the savings could help fund real trial court operations. They are costly operations that don’t benefit the trial courts
At least half of all the high earners could be similarly eliminated w/o out visible impact.
Better them than court employees who are actually delivering services to the public
Times are tough – but not at the AOC!!
Been There
September 22, 2011
Most AOC staff, with the exception of clerical and administrative personnel are exempt from overtime (OT). I am not particularly concerned about AOC staff OT, but since the chart provided to Judge McCormick discloses only monthly base compensation, I wonder if the Apple One temps (who appear to be paid on an hourly rate) are entitled to OT under their contract with Apple One.
If these temp workers are being paid OT, the monhtly salary cost for each department staffed by these temporary workers (including CCMS) could be significantly higher than the amount disclosed to Judge McCormick.
Wendy Darling
September 22, 2011
Apple One “temps” (including the ones that have been/are “temps” for years) are hourly paid and, not “exempt”, and regularly get overtime. Including the HR “temp”/personal friend of the HR Director. who embezzled a bunch of money at the AOC by timecard fraud – which the temp employee didn’t have to pay back, and was never prosecuted for because the AOC never reported the theft of public funds to law enforcement or the District Attorney.
Long live the ACJ.
JusticeCalifornia
September 22, 2011
Wow. 28 pages of single spaced Non Temporary employees.
It appears that both this list — as well as the Apple One Temp list– were run on August 9, 2011.
Why the delay in releasing them?
The branch appears to be in greater disarray and crisis than ever— and internal and external trust and confidence is perhaps at an all time low.
One might conclude that bigger is definitely not better when it comes to the AOC.
courtflea
September 22, 2011
let us not forget that these salaries are not reflective of any other benefits such as car allowances, housing allowances, medical, retirement, life or whatever. You can only imagine. I cannot believe that the Direktor of the AOC makes less than Mike Roddy in San Diego.
courtflea
September 22, 2011
ok my bad did not read the full story that the list was about temps
JusticeCalifornia
September 22, 2011
Two August 9, 2011 lists have been released as far as I can tell. The non-temp list and the Apple One list.
Now we need the third list. The list of non Apple One temps/consultants.
anonymous
September 22, 2011
This is the list that the AOC does not wish to disclose because these are the services contracts that are of questionable value.
keeping the FAITH
September 22, 2011
Delilah,
If your answer and your belief to my questions are ‘no’, then nothing will ever change. The trial courts, judges, staff, and most importantly, the people of this state will forever suffer @ the hands of the AOC.
The sad thing is, it appears no one is willing to do a darn thing about it. While the top dogs @ the AOC, rake in top salaries and perks, the judicial system suffers. What kind of bs is that?
keeping the FAITH
September 22, 2011
Delilah,
If your answer and your belief to my questions are ‘no’, then nothing will ever change. The trial courts, judges, staff, and most importantly, the people of this state will forever suffer @ the hands of the AOC.
The sad thing is, it appears no one is willing to do a darn thing about it. While the top dogs @ the AOC, rake in top salaries and perks, the judicial system suffers. What kind of bs is that?
Something drastic is going to have to happen befor
Been There
September 22, 2011
Dennis Jones must be one lucky guy to get such wonderful treatment.
As I recall, Dennis came from Sacto Superior Court to be AOC Deputy Director; a few years later he leaves the AOC to take an executive position with the Delaware State Courts; then back to Sacto Superior, where he is currently employed (although he’s carried on the AOC payroll).
The question is WHY is the AOC offering a long-time County Court Executive Officer (and relatively short-term AOC second in command) this deal?
Unless he holds the keys to the vault where all those AOC bodies are buried, it just does not make any sense at all.
But then nothing seems to be making much sense!
anonymous
September 22, 2011
A deputy director would know where the bodies are buried….You made your own argument.
MrsKramer
September 23, 2011
I’m going to predict the future:
This magnitude of fraud in an organization does not occur without the leadership being corrupt. They can’t stop without exposing past misdeeds – which means more misdeeds are occurring – which means the evidence keeps piling up – which means it is getting harder by the day to ignore the continuing damage.
The legislators and the Governor will have to order a forensic audit for their own preservation of keeping balance of power in the branches. They can’t afford to have one branch be so powerful, unethical and ruthless.
Its going to be real interesting to watch when the mainstream media jumps on the band wagon and the public becomes aware of what has been occurring. There are members of the public (and court employees) that will then share their own stories of how the corruption in the judicial branch has severely impacted their lives/work – and people will listen once the media has jumped aboard.
It is just a matter of time before the House that George Built collapses. What we are witnessing right now may be just the tip of the iceberg.
JusticeCalifornia
September 23, 2011
I am also going to predict what will eventually be discovered about the past present and future-
An illegal coverup of third branch misconduct of a magnitude that is beyond comprehension– via a) the elimination (via firing/layoffs, resignations and retirements) of those who have known and know too much, and b) the destruction of and/or tampering with documents and records — has been, is and will continue to be undertaken. There will be no voluntary changing of the guard until this cleansing is as complete as possible.
The reports will be that records are missing or simply were not kept, or were mistakenly destroyed, or (Kim Turner’s excuse for shredded Marin child custody evidence) they were destroyed to make room.
When this comes to light, top leadership will say that is all in the past, we have created a committee to make sure this does not happen in the future, and let’s just move along and look forward.
MrsKramer
September 23, 2011
Justice California and Been There,
Maybe I am a bit more optomistic because I have “insider trading” information and I can be a tenatious, sharped tongued witch when I can evidence I am right and so many lives are at stake.
Not to fear about them being able to destroy documents that evidence using CCMS for colluding to defraud the public. You can cut off the head of the snake from the body, or you can cut off the body from the head. Either way, the snake dies.
I have documents that can’t be destroyed. I have Case File, CCMS Register of Action, “stealth” Case History evidence, and Docket of both lower court and appellate court Case Records that evidence some past and present Judicial Council members (and a CJP member) using CCMS to conceal judges and justices aiding with a malicious litigation carried out by criminal means from the bench. This while being evidenced of KNOWING that what they were doing was aiding with the continuance of billions in interstate insurer fraud; and intrastate workers’ comp fraud as endorsed into workers comp policy by ex-Governor Schwarzenegger in 2005.
I currently have a lien on my home, based on a fraudulent abstract of judgment issued from the court with an interest accruing date of entry of judgment that is not possible to have occurred.
Lien and Fraudulent Abstract of Judgment issued from the Court:
This lien includes costs incurred by a corporation I prevailed over in trial – who just happened to write fraud in policy for the US Chamber and ACOEM (used to deny liability for workers comp insurers in CA. Know anyone who self insurers for worker environmental illnesses caused by decaying buildings?)
Additionally, I am currently gagged from writing a sentence that was not even in my purportedly libelous writing. And fake legal documents that originated from the court, were mailed interstate to threaten legal action against a blog owner in Texas if she republishes more on this subject. (she took it as good reason to publish more)
The threat and the colluding they are bullying to keep hidden:
There is a retired Deputy Director of NIOSH who has been an undisclosed party to this litigation for six years. As a co-owner of the corporation I prevailed over in trial, who the appellate court KNOWS lost andf was still awarded costs, he is an undisclosed party to the litigation who was awarded costs – while the Good Justices and their Clerk worked to conceal he was a party.
Twice, the Appellate Court was evidenced he (Bryan Hardin) was improperly not disclosed on the Certificate of Interested Parties. Twice, they ignored the evidence of an undisclosed party in a litigation over public health.
So how did the Clerk of the Appellate Court handle this judicial “indiscretion”?
1. He falsified the Remitttur to state, “Respondents” awarded costs on Appeal.
2. Nope. Only ONE Respondent was disclosed.
3. They altered and falsified the appellate CCMS Docket to state there were multiple parties disclosed on the Certificate of Interested Parties.
Ha Cha Cha, I got a million of ’em! Meaning legal documents that cannot be destroyed that evidence conclusion by past and present Judicial Council members (and a CJP member) using CCMS in violation of Government Code 6200 (which is criminal) to defraud the tax payer over a matter of public health……by collectively practicing CCP 425.19.
Bluntly stated: If we can get a Federal GAO audit that knocks the insurance fraud out of federal policy that JC members have aided to continue in the private sector and Ca workers’ comp; and our little free wordpress blog is cited for a Federal OSHA advisory over the issue; then by now, the JC leaders should have figured out that they have foolishly used their precious CCMS to f**k with the wrong women.
Been There
September 23, 2011
Sadly, MrsKramer, it may not be easy to uncover information on the elimination of those “who know too much” or were eliminated for refusing to do the unconscionable or unethical.
Three names come to mind. Two of these people were subjected to incredible psychological stress — managers hinting broadly that these workers were “unstable” and poor performers, when in fact neither assertion was true. In both cases the psychological warfare culminated in outrageously unfair performance reviews. One objected to the outright lies in the performance review, and he was immediately put on administrative leave for “threatening” his division manager. Another lie. He sued and the AOC settled for $$$ but with a confidentiality clause, so he will never disclose what he knows.
The second was shown two alternative performance reviews; one horrific and one essentially neutral and she was told that if she quit immediately the horrific review “would go away”. She got another job with a Superior Court (and was totally candid with the PJ about her situation), but I do not believe she would want to involve herself or her current employer in an unpleasant walk down memory lane.
On her way “out the door” the second wrote a letter with supporting documentation detailing everything she knew to the CJ. Nothing happened.
The third person quit on one day’s notice to return to another agency; I doubt that he would want to mess with his current situation.
More often than not those ” in the know” and with a personal code of ethics have been silenced by confidentiality agreements or co-opted.
JusticeCalifornia
September 23, 2011
Been there, I believe what you wrote.
And you put a name to the game: psychological warfare.
It appears that top leadership and its minions will try anything to take down those who question the status quo.
The problem for top leadership is it is finding itself confronted with certain of those who at all levels in all branches have done a whole lot of documenting and reporting, and it is now being caught in its own tangled web of deceit. (And a desperate– and I do mean desperate– need to cover up.)
And may I just say, personally speaking, I am ever so grateful to the court reporters who quickly and accurately made the records I now have. You ROCK.
MrsKramer
September 24, 2011
It must be killing these people who are the type who stood on their principles to the point that it cost them their jobs; that they know the continuing deceit is harming many and they signed an agreement that stops them from writing/speaking of it.
Not all confidentiality agreements are all that confidential. I have one that I cannot disclose how much our insurer settled with us for in our mold litigation of long ago. I can tell you the total amount we received from three parties. I can tell you the amount the other two parties paid. I just can’t write the number of what our insurer paid. (x +y + ? = z) Which is ridiculous because its a matter of public record in the case file because Judge Michael Orfield signed all three settlement agreements in 2003 that total about a half a million.
I know several people who have signed confidentiality agreements who are still able to write of deception. They just have to not write of their specific case or be careful how they write.
Michael Paul
September 23, 2011
I was never, ever the subject of a negative performance review in the nearly eight years I worked there. Things became difficult for me after I was verbally instructed to hire the unlicensed contractor “team jacobs” and I refused. I was well respected up until the day I was fired and am told I continue to be well respected by my AOC peers.
Meanwhile the guy who fired me was rewarded with a fat promotion to chief bottle washer and continued mis-manager of CCMS. He would be the same guy who informed the Judicial Council that their vote to pause CCMS for a year was in essence meaningless and he is pushing through despite their vote to pause the program.
And they claim the AOC does not lead the council around……
WTF do you call this?
MrsKramer
September 23, 2011
Whoever put a thumbs down on my post either a.) does not want it known that I can evidence CCMS has been used to collude to defraud the taxpayer – with clerks and the lower courts also involved and covering for the appellate justices, or b.) must be Mike Roddy’s mom voting again.
MrsKramer
September 23, 2011
“WTF do you call this?”
I call it “Collusion to defraud the taxpayer, Exhibit 1”.
Been There
September 23, 2011
I have nothing against Dennis Jones — I have always thought of him as a real stand-up guy, but his salary/pension boondoggle is beyond the pale. This is the kind of situation that only gives ammunition to those who are opposed to public employee pensions.
And what is Sacto Superior giving the AOC in exchange for this largesse? How is this transaction/deal shown on their books? If this is a freebie for Sacramento, I can think of approximately 57 other courts that would like to put THEIR court executive officers on the AOC payroll.
Based on this questionable example, one can only imagine what the long-term in- house consultant contracts provide in salary and “extras” — which may be a large part of the reason that the list of in-house consultants has yet to see the light of day.
Perhaps someone should follow up with Sacramento Superior Court on the exact nature of this “deal” with the AOC. Surely CalPERS and the legislature might have some questions. And the good news is that the Courthouse is close by!
Jon Wintermeyer
September 23, 2011
Sad but true, the lies and fradulent stories that can be spread by a a Rabid CEO and blessed by the PJ and EX COM in a matter of months. A core of dedicated managers was allowed to be fired under the story line that it was a budget matter in 2009.
I was the Director of the Award winning Facilities Unit given this award by both of them for the great job performed.
In over six years, I was never given a poor review and grew the facilities unit to perform work more efficiently and at a better quality then had been done by the AOC’s` unlicensed contractor and their hired subcontractors.
Then I was uninvited to the AOC review meetings that graded the contractors and the FMU managers, because they could do it and my CEO allowed it. I was the voice that reported the truth of waste and fraud in the CC Court.
Then within a couple of months I was placed on administrative leave and released 8 weeks later.
Been There
September 24, 2011
Jon, your experience is very similar to the first of three people I cited above who were eliminated from the AOC for “knowing too much” or refusing violate their own ethics. Your former CEO and the Director responsible for that situation are one and the same person.
anna
September 24, 2011
why do you think its so important for these cases, [those who have chosen to file lawsuits.] to be thrown out on a demurrer????? there is no discovery. All those confidentiality clauses do not apply to court ordered discovery, or questioning in a deposition. And hear, hear, for Court reporters, without those certified dailies some very good people would be facing jail time ala Richard Fine.
Michael Paul
September 24, 2011
Funny, that’s exactly what the AOC’s attorney [Ian Fellerman, the same attorney opposing Paula Negley] is threatening now.
Either I drop my lawsuit by October 1 or he will file a demurrer, indicating that the California whistle blower protection act was not in effect on the day I was fired and I will be forced to pay his attorneys fees and court costs.
When I read the California Whistleblower Protection Act as chaptered at leginfo.ca.gov it indicates that former employees of the AOC are employees for the purposes of implementing this law. The AOC agreed with it SO MUCH before they canned me that they lobbied to extend the same coverage to the trial courts.
Michael Paul
September 24, 2011
Not to mention that Bill Vickrey sat in front of the Assembly Committee on Accountability & Administrative review and told those people that they offer the “same protections”.
Put up or shut up AOC because the media is going to call you on that demurrer for talking out of both sides of your mouth.
P.S. I’m open to mediation but I really would prefer that you
1) Clean House
2) Give me my job back
anna
September 24, 2011
On what basis would you have to pay his attorneys fees??? Is threatening you with an anti-slapp motion????? How so?
Michael Paul
September 24, 2011
He is threatening me with a demurrer to get the case thrown out of court, that’s all.
Michael Paul
September 24, 2011
I’ll scan and send the letter to JCW. Maybe they can post it.