Thursday, July 7, 2011

Abuse and Corruption Rampant in Probate Court of Cook County, IL

The end of life has many challenges for the elderly. It can be a fast or a long goodbye and might involve a transition to assisted living, a nursing home, or a live-in caretaker.

Now is the time to guard against opportunists, who like vultures are circling to claim flesh, whether the person is alive or dead, even if a large sum of money isn’t involved. For elder abuse bi-passes color, race or creed and extends also to disabled children.

Although the presence of wealth often brings out the worst in human kind, preying on the elderly can amount to nothing more than gaining access to the individual’s monthly Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security or Veterans Disability payments.

More far reaching abuse happens in situations where the appointed guardian is removed from his/her position by a court order and replaced by a court-appointed guardian (Guardian ad Litem). It now becomes the responsibility of the the court-appointed guardian to make judgments about medical care, property, living arrangements, lifestyle and potentially all personal and financial decisions.

But it doesn’t end here, the court appointed guardian, in collaboration with the lawyer, presiding judge and the nursing home, use the very judicial system they are part of to profit financially by functioning as partners in the management and control of all aspects of a vulnerable person’s life.

Cook County Probate Court Corruption Addressed
What I have described is common practice on the 18th Floor of Daley Center, home to Probate Court in Cook County. Thievery is taking place and savings are being milked in a massive transfer of wealth that is disappearing into the pockets of judges and lawyers instead of the legitimate heirs.

So wide spread is the corruption in the Chicago Probate Court System, that Bev and Ken Cooper created up a website to expose and remedy corruption in the Probate Court of Cook County. www.ProbateSharks.com

Their Illinois website assists, educates and enlightens families of the dead, the dying, the disabled and the aged to better understand their rights in order to protect themselves from the excesses of the Cook County Probate Court. As the site depends on networking, it invites you or someone you know to send stories that tell of probate abuse. Names are kept confidential if there is fear of retaliation against a loved one. The site postings reveal up-to-date incidences of abuse in Cook County Probate Court.

Ken and Bev Cooper first became aware of abuse in the Chicago Probate Court system after a highly emotional and devastating experience with Beverly Cooper’s mother.

About Beverly Cooper, she is producer and host of North Shore “Live” Cooper’s Corner, a weekly cable Comcast TV program that is broadcast live every Wednesday night from a studio in Highland Park and then shown throughout Lake County. This is Bev Cooper’s 30th year as producer of the show. Bev.cooperscorner@yahoo.com

Bev has quite a story to tell about the elder abuse of her own mother, Alice Gore, which has expanded to include 10 videotaped testimonies from individuals appearing on Bev’s North shore “Live” Cooper’s Corner program, all of whom experienced similar gross injustices as did Bev Cooper in dealing with her mother in Probate Court on the 18th Floor of the Daley Building.

Full Article and Source:
Abuse and Corruption Rampant in Probate Court of Cook County, IL

See Also:
ProbateSharks

Note: We will run more excerpts from this artilce soon! To be continued...

10 comments:

Thelma said...

Many people today understand that the courts are corrupt, but guardianship has become big business, and Cook County may be one of the worst places to find justice in that industry.

Norma said...

Illinois has the bad reputation for corruption in general so it's no surprise that the probate court there is awful.

Wouldn't it be a breath of fresh air if someone were to post that their county is fair and does its job?

Holly said...

This is happening all over the country. We have had a similiar experience with my mother when we were hoodwinked into believing Jetta Getty of Volusia County Florida was helping us get mother returned home to PA where she was a resident and domicile. Now we believe what Getty was really doing was getting herself in a position of control, knowing their was little to NO court oversight in guardianships. We believe mother's current situtation is similiar to a pension plan for Jetta Getty. Getty has collected THOUSANDS of dollars and spent even more on numerous lawyers fighting those who care about RCD. My advice to all: DO NOT EVER go to the state of Florida and if you ever meet Jetta Getty run like hell. My mother visited the state of Florida with my sister and has never returned home thanks to Getty and her friends. I recently discovered that they NEVER bothered to tell the court that RCD was a PA resident and domicile. I compare her to a wolfe in sheeps clothing.
Any questions, hlpeffer@yahoo.com

EG said...

Unfortunately, corruption in probate courts is not limited to Cook County.

Rudy said...

I keep hearing the disclaimer,"Most judges are honest decent folksy folks just doing a good job."

Ok, Norma has formed an invitation. Let's here from all the counties who have honest probate. I would add one stipulation. Crooked professional guardians, conservators, trustees and their crooked elder law lawyers must identify themselves when answering this invitation so that they can be investigated. Just to make sure they are telling the truth since they are known for lying.

Mary Waddell said...

Congratulations to the Coopers for constructing a web site to expose these thieves. I encountered the same perps in Madison County, IL
Mary Waddell

Betty said...

I am glad to see you'll be running more from this article as it's very well done and interesting.

Thank you NASGA.

Anonymous said...

Its unbelievable what happens in the Probate Court of Cook County. My parents have victims of the 18th floor since 2008 and lost everything they worked so hard for. No one cared because all they wanted was to control and take their money. As one judge in Cook County said: Show me the money!

Anonymous said...

Same thing going on in Pennsylvania. The Attorney General who ignored the problem is now the governor.

Anonymous said...

My prayer's to all of you. I'm been is this Hell for 15 years now . I'm in Michigan and Probate attorney is milking my mother. Probate court won't put her in a nursing home ,they say she couldn't get better care. But probate attorney has appointed herself beneficuary for her estate. And the court won't let me file anything against this THEIF!!!!!!!!!!! Heartbroken