In California, Clay Greene and the estate of Harold Scull, Greene's deceased partner of 20 years, reached a settlement with the County of Sonoma and other defendants, with the county agreeing to pay $653,000 compensate for attorney fees and damages the couple suffered due to the County's discriminatory and unlawful conduct, according to a press release from the National Center for Lesbian Rights.
Greene and Scull lived together for 20 years and had executed both mutual powers of attorney for medical and financial decisions and wills naming each other as beneficiaries. In April 2008, county employees separated the couple after Scull fell outside their shared home. For the next three months, county officials ignored the couple's legal documentation, unlawfully auctioned their possessions, terminated their lease and forced Greene into an assisted living facility against his will. Scull passed away in August 2008.
In August 2009, Greene and the representative of Scull's estate filed a lawsuit alleging, among other things, elder abuse, breach of fiduciary duty and false imprisonment.
The county has agreed to pay $600,000, with defendant Agua Caliente Villa paying $53,000.
