Highest court strikes down psychic Noreen Renier

[Sherlock]

Positioned immediately under the U.S. Supreme Court the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit on Wednesday, April 18, 2012 ruled against Noreen Jean Renier, a woman who poses as a credible psychic detective and has falsely claimed to have been directly hired by public law enforcement agencies across “hundreds” of cases which upon investigation never existed as she claims.

This is now the fifth and highest level federal judgment from four different federal courts ruling against Noreen Renier since 2006 --- including two in 2011.

Noreen Renier is a professional actress whose paranormal claims have been called “bold exaggerations” by both critics and eye-witnesses to events.

Today the court noted “Having had the benefit of oral argument, and having carefully reviewed the briefs, record, and controlling legal authorities, we agree with the district court’s analysis as set forth in it’s well-reasoned opinion.”

That July 2011 U.S. District Court ruling backed a federal court judgment against Noreen Renier ordered in March 2011 where federal judge William Anderson slammed Noreen Renier in an 18-page order and cited her for having mislead his court and not being a credible witness.

This April 2012 ruling comes after psychic actress Noreen Renier told a Virginia reporter in 2006 that she foresaw a federal win by herself. However this now marks instead an uninterrupted string of federal court judgments against her over the past decade.

Noreen Renier’s Charlottesville Virginia attorney Dale Jensen (of the Zobrist Law Group) filed a massive 69-page appeals brief but apparently badly missed the mark as a more concise 9-page brief offered by Renier’s critic won --- myself.

Indeed one lawsuit observer noted Noreen Renier's latest filings resembled work that could have come from a poor performing first-year law student. The briefs seemed arrogant and made wandering rants and snipes at lower court decisions against Renier. "Her lengthy briefs --- the last two totaling more than 110 pages ---wandered so far off-course they weren’t in the weeds but off the planet. She offered little beyond saying everyone is wrong but her."

Incredibly many within the international paranormal community continue to cite Noreen Renier as a highly “credible psychic detective” and “clear evidence that psychic detectives can be believed.” Yet given this latest U.S. federal court judgment affirming the decision once again that Noreen Renier mislead a federal court and was not credible the paranormal community needs help. But as they continue to cite Noreen Renier at the top of “the most credible” list its apparent their icons and proofs have crumbled.

And court after court is turning even their crumbs to powder.

[Madalch]

Originally Posted by Sherlock

Noreen Renier’s Charlottesville Virginia attorney Dale Jensen (of the Zobrist Law Group) filed a massive 69-page appeals brief but apparently badly missed the mark as a more concise 9-page brief offered by Renier’s critic won --- myself.

<Tips his hat to the Critic>

[Marduk]

awesome, well done
now which court do you have to get her to which will give her jail time ?

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

Can I ask how you first became involved with Renier? It's just that I don't think I've ever seen you post on any other subject, and she's obviously taken up a lot of your personal time for many years. I'm just curious as to why her, particularly given that I'd never even have heard of her, were it not for you.

[Kuko 4000]

Thanks for this Sherlock.

[Sideroxylon]

Well done.

[Resume]

Is she done now?

[Kuko 4000]

Is there a link to the court decision somewhere?

Or an online newspaper article yet?

[Sherlock]

Noreen Renier is just one of more than a dozen psychic detectives I've tackled over the past three decades.

I've worked extensively with local television stations and national media in exposing many psychic detectives and their claims, including most recently Laurie McQuary. I've spent a great deal of time on Noreen Renier after she fabricated various events in her testimony before a jury in 1986 when she cited me for libel.

Background on Renier's original psychic visionary fabrications during that small southern Oregon county case kept me active in making sure her charade was well known and my initial concerns about her vindicated. Amazingly she replicated much of the same charade of finding a crashed aircraft with survivors in February 2012 before an audience at the Bill Clinton School of Public Service --- and a breakdown on that continued charade is posted at http://www.gpinquirygroup.com/gpinqu...%20School.html with a full report on her associated bogus claims in finding the missing plane with one or more survivors at http://www.commentarybysherlock.com/...unwaypart1.asp and an index to multiple bogus claims and charades at http://www.gpinquirygroup.com/gpinqu...pthRenier.html

Yesterday's decision by the court (April 18, 2012) is posted at http://pacer.ca4.uscourts.gov/opinion.pdf/111906.U.pdf
in a very short decision. One far shorter than the 79-page brief filed by Noreen Renier asking for a decision in her favor based on dozens of actions and counteractions. Remember this extensive battle is based on Renier's efforts to reverse the required payments the court issued to me after a U.S. District court in 2007 awarded me more than $41,000.00 (after interest) for her breach of a Florida State settlement agreement. That breach was made when she published a book (A Mind For Murder) which more than 50 times characterized me (and also mentioned fellow skeptic Dr. Gary Posner, M.D.) in various ways which the court found "[showed] that it is impossible that Ms. Renier breached the agreement in this case without some level of fault. She knew or should have known of the agreement, and breached it nonetheless." My complete commentary on Renier is posted at http://www.commentarybysherlock.com/...rlockapril.asp

Lots of available readings for anyone interested in uncovering portions of what is simply the most massive psychic charade I've ever uncovered.

[Gord_in_Toronto]

Thanks for fighting the good fight Sherlock.

When you are up against a monomaniac it is impossible for her to "lose". Renier will continue to believe in herself and her abilities even if the entire population of the planet was convinced otherwise.

[Magic 9-Ball]

Thanks for the update. I certainly do recall reading about that case along with you and Dr. Posner quite extensively, and happy that after this long time the court is again in your favor.
Keep up the good work!

[JoeTheJuggler]

Congrats!

And thanks for the refreshing good news.

[Ron Swanson]

Great news! ... and Bravo!!! to your involvement!

[George 152]

Well done and keep up the good work...

[Cuddles]

Originally Posted by Sherlock

Highest court strikes down psychic Noreen Renier

Great, now she's going to become more powerful than I can possibly imagine.

[Sherlock]

I appreciate all the supportive thanks. More powerful than ever? Nope.

In the past 48 hours there's been only silence by her regular band of supporters. Instead it's a combination of apparent shock with many perhaps recognizing they've stayed aboard a sinking ship far too long. That's not surprising as Renier has repeatedly pushed a facade of winning alongside a grand vision of a federal court victory. It's also possible that donations she solicited in the past for her legal support are now considered as fruitless.

Last night her multiple Facebook pages were cleansed of any and all recent feedback. Was the shock and awe removed in an attempt to ignore the break in the dam? It's as if nothing has happened.

The icy cold reality of having six federal court judges rule against her across four ever higher courts is likely hitting home. In the past two years she has claimed that skeptics are "out to destroy me" and are "destroying my life's work."

Nope. Instead her exaggerations and delusions of being a paranormal Wonder Woman hired by law enforcement agencies across hundreds of cases have simply been revealed. She has destroyed herself.

[Sherlock]

Misled. Mislead. I copied the same mistake again. Gotta get that out and removed once and for all!

[Drudgewire]

Originally Posted by Sherlock

In the past two years she has claimed that skeptics are "out to destroy me" and are "destroying my life's work."

In fairness, she's not lying. I mean a bank robber could honestly say the same thing about the police.

[Checkmite]

I do not understand. The court ruling seemed to refer to some kind of bankruptcy matter. What does any of it have to do with her psychic claims?

[Baloney]

Great job and congratulations! This puts you in the "hero" category, I think.

[BravesFan]

Kudos to you sir!!

In you opinion, what are the odds she tries to take it to the SCOTUS and if she tries, what are the odds they choose to hear the case?

[Kuko 4000]

Originally Posted by Checkmite

I do not understand. The court ruling seemed to refer to some kind of bankruptcy matter. What does any of it have to do with her psychic claims?

I'd like to know more about this too.

[Sherlock]

It is difficult to summarize litigation which has gone on for more than two decades and since 2005 alone has involved six different courts. In essence I won a federal rulings against Noreen Renier (2006, 2007) and was awarded over $40,000 based on a ruling that she breached a Florida state settlement agreement. She then declared bankruptcy in late 2008.

But her bankruptcy court found her not credible and having misled the court. As a highlight she failed to initially report more than $100,000.00 in income and thousands of dollars in additional assets. And subpoenas revealed she while she had been publicly claiming to have been hired by law enforcement agencies there were absolutely no (zero, zilch) payments ever reported and connected to such hirings in her filings.

Her local, state, and federal law enforcement hirings were vapor. Soon after I was awarded portions of assets and funds collected by the Bankruptcy Trustee. Renier then launched a series of appeals to overturn the decisions against her and to claim back some $30,000. Failure after failure followed with each additional court citing their support on the ruling that she wasn't credible and had misled a federal court.

A determination that she has psychic powers? No, just repeated federal court decisions that cite back to her lack of credibility. And in this week's decision the court ignored any response to her 69-page extensive appeal. They didn't even bother to respond to page after page of obviously pointless complaints and visionary innuendo. Is she psychic? Under actual testing at Southern Oregon college the evidence was that she scored less than random chance --- see http://www.gpinquirygroup.com/gpinqu...%20status.html

So you've got six federal judges ruling against her and referencing decisions that either made or cited the ruling against her that noted a lack of credibility and misleading a court. You've got a history of misleading the public with exaggerations and charades. And testing that showed no evidence of paranormal abilities. Ahhhhhhhh so what else do you need to rule out that she might something other than what she claims?

[Matthew Cline]

Originally Posted by Sherlock

for her breach of a Florida State settlement agreement.

What was the settlement in regards to? Did one of you sue the other for defamation?

[Sherlock]

I sued for breach of a prior settlement agreement established under a Florida state court essentially establishing peaceful silence between the two parties. However, as expected, A U.S. District Court ruled Renier had indeed breached the settlement in writing her book titled A Mind For Murder. Her publisher --- likely taken by surprise that such an agreement was in place and had been breached ---immediately ceased both further publication and distribution of the book.

They (Penguin Books) also apparently dropped Renier as an author. The book was then heavily revised before another smaller publisher re-issued it two years later. The newer edition has sold poorly --- with sales off by approximately 95% from the first edition's initial 7 months. And I was able to secure as a creditor the collected royalties held for Renier from the second publisher as well as secure a majority of $9000 collected from the sale of her copyright --- oddly enough sold back to Renier herself as the highest bidder. So winning the lawsuit had a domino effect in that my win hit Renier in both the pocketbook beyond the collected assets to me, but as well as literally hampering the sale of her book, giving up collected royalties, and taking a substantial loss on having to buy back her own copyright. (Other assets were collected as well).

And for whatever reason after attempting to dismiss the entire $41,000+ debt owed to me she also began attempting to overturn various decisions --- but simply multiplied her losses again and again and again!

A psychic who predicted an initial win but has now suffered five federal court judgments against her coming from six federal court judges. Pretty good evidence that she certainly didn't accurately predict her own future, the court decisions, her losses, her litigation costs, or that a judge would not only rule against her but cite her as misleading his court and not being credible. Thus she literally has self-imploded and established a lack of credibility through a judgment order by a federal court. A lack of credibility can't get much more clear and officially confirmed than when its cited in a federal court judgment with your name on it.

[Mashuna]

Originally Posted by Cuddles

Great, now she's going to become more powerful than I can possibly imagine.

Nah, she was of the dark side.

[Matthew Cline]

Originally Posted by Sherlock

I sued for breach of a prior settlement agreement established under a Florida state court essentially establishing peaceful silence between the two parties.

No, I'm asking what was it that led up to original settlement.

[Sherlock]

Sorry for not answering this question. Whether her attorney has pushed the last two appeals partially to gain credit on his resume is an open question. Certainly the latest appeal just denied was a highly questionable effort. You can listen to the exchange during a hearing before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit just over a month ago now posted by the Court at http://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/OAaudiotop.htm Go down to 3-21-2012 as a date in the far left column. You'll then spot the Renier-Merrell hearing.
It's about a 20 minute audio transcript between Renier's attorney, my attorney, and the 3 federal judges hearing the case.

Her attorney argued much the same points in his 69-page brief. He clearly pushed a tirade which included my using amindformurder.com as a former web site --- which he apparently argues is a copyright violation. So I guess anyone who first registers a name for a website that matches the name of a book has committed a copyright violation in his mind. Using the title A Mind For Murder as a web site had in fact already been done by another author who used the same title on a book that was written previous to Renier's. I just picked it up after the other author dropped its use. But in doing so Renier's attorney considers it some kind of infringement of a copyright. It's no wonder he lost both appeals for his client. He seems to stretch basic logic well beyond facts and pushes deep layers of innuendo. Clearly the last two courts essentially ignored his objections --- you can hear one judge in the audio transcript joke that it would take an amendment change to the constitution to fit his logic. I assume that was in reference to changing the right of free speech.

Ahhh well --- we must remember Noreen Renier doesn't like skeptics tagging her ever distortion, exaggeration, and lie.

Taking it to the Supreme Court? Only if he want's to have a tag on his resume? They'd never hear it. And the cost burden to take it to the Supreme Court would be about 99.99% for Renier. I could simply sit back and submit the same brief already filed and won. And I'd now have the backing of three lower court decisions in my favor!

[Ian]

Good job, Sherlock.

[BravesFan]

Thank's for answering my SCOTUS question!!! It's not like there's a time limit here !!

[MatildaGage]

Awesome

[Scopedog]

Congratulations!

Do you have plans to go after any other psychic frauds, Sherlock? (you don't have to name names, just yes or no is fine) Do you take donations?

[Sideroxylon]

Noreen's Wiki entry has been edited bare:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noreen_Renier

The Facebook entry I can find for her is not as I remember it either.

[Sherlock]

ScopeDog: I've managed to keep the cost of my activities personal. No plans to solicit donations, but if too many legal counter-attacks are launched its a possibility.
Sideroxylon: Yes both the Wiki page and her multiple Facebook pages (I believe she has 4 different Facebook pages depending on whether you identify her as a psychic, medium, psychic detective, or solely as Noreen Renier) are all freshly wiped clean.

[Marcus]

Originally Posted by Sherlock

I sued for breach of a prior settlement agreement established under a Florida state court essentially establishing peaceful silence between the two parties. However, as expected, A U.S. District Court ruled Renier had indeed breached the settlement in writing her book titled A Mind For Murder. Her publisher --- likely taken by surprise that such an agreement was in place and had been breached ---immediately ceased both further publication and distribution of the book.

They (Penguin Books) also apparently dropped Renier as an author. The book was then heavily revised before another smaller publisher re-issued it two years later. The newer edition has sold poorly --- with sales off by approximately 95% from the first edition's initial 7 months. And I was able to secure as a creditor the collected royalties held for Renier from the second publisher as well as secure a majority of $9000 collected from the sale of her copyright --- oddly enough sold back to Renier herself as the highest bidder. So winning the lawsuit had a domino effect in that my win hit Renier in both the pocketbook beyond the collected assets to me, but as well as literally hampering the sale of her book, giving up collected royalties, and taking a substantial loss on having to buy back her own copyright. (Other assets were collected as well).

And for whatever reason after attempting to dismiss the entire $41,000+ debt owed to me she also began attempting to overturn various decisions --- but simply multiplied her losses again and again and again!

A psychic who predicted an initial win but has now suffered five federal court judgments against her coming from six federal court judges. Pretty good evidence that she certainly didn't accurately predict her own future, the court decisions, her losses, her litigation costs, or that a judge would not only rule against her but cite her as misleading his court and not being credible. Thus she literally has self-imploded and established a lack of credibility through a judgment order by a federal court. A lack of credibility can't get much more clear and officially confirmed than when its cited in a federal court judgment with your name on it.

Her failed prediction of winning in court should do more than anything else to dissuade her supporters. I'm sure they are ready to believe the Establishment is conspiring against her, they are all liars, etc., but she will have a harder time explaining away a prediction which she has apparently pushed in order to raise legal funds.

[Sherlock]

Matthew Cline: In answer to your question what was it that led up to the 1992 settlement in court --- the one a U.S. District Court ruled she breached in 2006 and in 2007 --- it was various lawsuits filed back and forth by both parties. I filed one lawsuit in Florida after she sent out what my attorney considered a libelous press which reached my employer. Though she denied she'd sent her press release directly to my employer she acknowledged the press release was her's. This came just a few years after she admitted sending out various letters asking for my help under an alias. She hand wrote letters asking for my help (and to another skeptical writer) under Nancy Uzdavinis. See about half-way down the page at http://www.gpinquirygroup.com/gpinqu...n%20alias.html The games she's played have been extensive.

[Sherlock]

Marcus: I agree. And as noted it's awfully quiet out there from her supporters. I notice even Rodney hasn't said anything on this forum.

[MatildaGage]

I read the update and re-read the history.

Might I suggest those reading this thread post the story elsewhere? The article says the psychic is insisting she won again though she actually lost, and search engines/youtube/facebook/etc. all carry this claim. Posting the truth will perhaps result in the truth ranking higher in search results.

Keep up the good work, Sherlock.

[maxley]

As an aside, I'm greatly enjoying the phrase, "Thus she literally has self-imploded".

[Foolmewunz]

Well done - yet again - John.

I have to ask.... Would you have been pursuing the payment of the settlement on your own if she hadn't kept on with the Battle of the Appeals Courts? It seems that you've probably spent as much as the settlement will amount to when and if you finally get it. (I assume they're not going to award you interest and costs, but I could be wrong.)

With La Sylvia on a downswing, I think Noreen's certainly a prominent enough target and I'm a bit proud that one of our regulars is fighting this fight. With the publicity she's milked from the TV series, she's now one of the most oft-cited (by the believers) examples of "successful" psychic investigators. They take what's been aired in a fictional show and repeat it as gospel. As long as she keeps at it and her supporters keep at it, you should do everything you can to get the complete story out there.

Have you thought of a blatant Stop Noreen!! site? A little bit of the RSLancaster treatment (aka The Dragnet Meme - "just the facts, ma'am") would do well in Noreen's case.