The old lady who lost all her money while being “protected” by Maricopa County's probate court is now pleading her case to another court — and she isn't the only one.
Three federal racketeering lawsuits were filed this week, accusing a group of lawyers and fiduciaries of working together to squeeze their vulnerable clients while Maricopa County's judges look on and do, well, nothing.
“Obviously, it (the probate system) isn't doing what it's intended to do, it isn't protecting vulnerable adults,” said attorney Grant Goodman, who filed the lawsuits after reading about 88-year-old Marie Long, who went from having $1.3 million to nothing in four years. “It's actually allowing these predators to strip these estates bare under the cloth of a judicial rubber stamp.”
Goodman filed the lawsuits on behalf of Marie and two other Scottsdale residents. Each of the defendants who responded to a request for comment denied any wrongdoing.
“The lawsuit is baseless and we are confident that we will prevail on the merits in court,” attorney Brenda Church wrote in an e-mail.
According to probate court records, Church's law firms have collected $343,000 from Marie's trust since 2005, when the widow suffered a stroke and came under the protection of the court. Sun Valley, meanwhile, has collected $413,000 in guardian and companion care fees while seven other attorneys have scooped up another $86,000. As a result of all this “protection”, Marie is now in the poorhouse and will need taxpayer support.
The federal lawsuits, filed against nine attorneys and two of the state's largest fiduciary companies, allege that once appointed to handle the affairs of incapacitated adults, they “siphon off” their money, “ultimately abandoning their victims once their trust accounts and other assets have been dissipated.”
Full Article and Source:
Old Lady Goes to Federal Court - And Now She Has Company
See Also:
Woman Attempting to Recover Funds
12 comments:
In old English law --- which is where our law finds its origins -- probate courts were "creditor courts"
Ipso facto the court is not there to protect the ederly of infirmed, they are there to protect the creditor
which explains why all involved get paid while the ward gets picked clean
Racketeering is a great word to describe what modern guardianship has become.
I am praying for your success, Marie Long!
joy to the world woweeee i didnt think i'd live to see these vultures hanging from the nearest dead tree this is fantastic i love the feds racketeering charges this is organized crime mobsters using the courts to fill their trucks with old folks assets which is wrong wrong 100% wrong i am going dancing in the streets i am filled with hope and joy great way to start a new year
Isolate, Medicate, Steal the estate . . . then abandon.
That's what it's all about!
This gives me hope! I am so glad to see people standing up and fighting back.
Thank you for staying on this story. I can't wait for a happy ending.
One of the things commonly used against wards or families who complain is the "I've never heard of this before," or "why is this just happening to you?"
Three suits answers those questions before they're even asked.
I hope the courtroom is full when these cases are heard and they're all sitting on one side of the court - with Brenda Church sitting alone on the other.
Do you even have a conscience, Brenda Church?
If you prevail at these hearings, you won't prevail when it comes to judgment day.
Can someone please post links to copies of the racketeering petitions filed in Federal Court, was it the 9th Circuit Court?
Thanks
Yes, Racketeering in the courts. And they are also kidnapping children with false and forged cases to get your children and estates. Read these blogs and fight back.
http://nodr.blogspot.com/2008/01/dr-robert-l-suiter-pettion-to-revoke.html
Very true Anonymous not only in AZ but in other states the amounts of the estates of the minors is staggering. People are mistaken if they think settlements in negligence and malpractice cases etc go to the family of the victim the complainant oh no think again the court appoints a guardian or conservator or case manager so many dirty tricks to seize and control the $.
Racketeering is exactly what guardianship cases are. Crooks.
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