Thursday, January 1, 2009

Attorney Fees Challenged

Some former wards of Rita Hunter, who until Wednesday was Jasper County’s public administrator, have filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of taking money from their estates to pay attorneys for the county office.

A lawsuit filed in Jasper County Circuit Court contends that there was no authority to take the fees because there was no written contract between the attorneys and the county office, a requirement of state law.

The lawsuit names John Podleski, who served as attorney for the administrator’s office until Hunter’s term ended Wednesday, and Gayle Crane, who held the post for the first two years after Hunter took office in 2004. Crane is now a circuit judge.

In the action, Springfield attorney R. Lynn Myers seeks damages for Emma France and other former wards of the county office from the two attorneys and their law firms.

Full Article and Source:
Former wards challenge attorneys’ fees

Copy of Lawsuit

See also:
Jasper County OPA

Probate Judge Cannot Hear Case

Class Action Filed

Former Ward Files Suit

Undrafted Medical Certificate

France is Released

Mother and Daughter File Suit

An Alleged Kidnapping

Rita Hunter is a registered with National Guardianship Association

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It will be VERY interesting to see the outcome of this case. A victory for the plaintiffs would be a nail in the coffin of "judicial immunity", and the use of wards estates to fund their own incarceration.

Anonymous said...

Judicial immunity is so wrong. It's high time judges are held accountable, like the rest of us, little people who by the way pay their salaries, expense accounts and perk's and bonuses. People want change? Well, now is the time to set this right.