I returned to the courthouse the next morning with no expectation that the judge would save us from the cost of our choices.
Elias arrived with Nina. I sat two rows behind them. Rusk sat at the board's table, his hands folded over the file. When the judge came in, everyone stood.
Judge Holt read her ruling aloud.
She found that Elias understood the trust, could communicate decisions, and could manage his property with appropriate professional support. She denied the board's request to appoint a conservator. She also ordered the survey stopped until Elias authorized any further access.
The injunction against the Harborline project was temporary. The board could still petition to sell the bluff after a full financial review. Elias had won control, not safety.
The judge then addressed th
