Saturday, November 20, 2010

Ginger Franklin Fights for Control of Her Life

Franklin’s story illustrates what can happen to anyone who falls under the control of a conservator, which is a guardian appointed by the court to oversee the affairs of someone unable to take care of themselves.

Franklin fell down the stairs in her condo in 2008 and suffered a brain injury. She spent two months in rehab hospitals. Now that she's recovered, she's finding it very difficult to dissolve the conservatorship. She's been trying for more than a year.

She said people have no idea how many rights you lose when your life is controlled by a conservator.

"They strip all your rights when you're conserved," Franklin said.

As she discovered, people in conservatorships can't pick their own doctors, see their medical records or refuse mind-altering medicine. They can't write checks, handle their own money, sell or give away their possessions or enter into contracts, not even cell phone or cable contracts. They can't get married and can't hire a lawyer.

"People who are in prison have more rights than people who are conserved," Franklin said.

Randy Kennedy is the judge of Probate Court in Nashville. He oversees about 1,800 conservatorship cases. The Channel 4 I-Team asked why it’s so hard for someone to dissolve a conservatorship.

Judicial ethics prohibit him from speaking about Franklin’s particular case, but Kennedy agreed to comment in general.

"Often times, people think they can just walk in and say, 'Despite my debilitating stroke, or despite my traumatic head injury, or despite my Alzheimer's or senile dementia, I'm OK now and you need to take my word for it,’" Kennedy said. "The courts are not supposed to be making those kinds of judgments without clear and convincing evidence."

Franklin said she believes she's provided enough proof that she's well.

Franklin said she wants her life back. Her car is gone -- she doesn't know where -- as are almost all of her household items. Her stocks are gone; her checking and savings are accounts nearly empty. She said the conservator filed bankruptcy without her knowledge.

"I'm 52 years old, and everything that I have has been liquidated," Franklin said. “I wasn’t a rich woman, but I had nice things.

Franklin said she hasn't had an accounting of how her money was spent. Her house is now in foreclosure.

The public guardian appointed to her case did not return the I-Team's phone calls. Franklin said the conservatorship was the worst thing that ever happened to her.

"I understand it was entered into it with good intentions, and I'm sure there are people who are conserved who need to be conserved. But it has not done me any good. It has ruined my life," Franklin said.

Full Article and Source:
Woman Fights For Control of Her Life

See Also:
Ginger's Story

11 comments:

  1. Keep fighting Ginger! You are right, the court is wrong you will be free. Very few come out of this trap alive. I believe it's God's Plan. God Bless You and all of your supporters.

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  2. Ginger's conservator had plans of keeping Ginger in the group home as long as Ginger was generating income or until Ginger departed from this earth. That's the name of this con game life sentence and they have their eyes on me, on you on your money. No money ~ no probate court.

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  3. Ginger's conservator was not only getting rich off of the conservatorship but had enslaved Ginger to working in the group home for free.

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  4. You did great, Ginger. And I also thank Nancy Amons for doing your story.

    Shine a bright light and the roaches run for cover!

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  5. You've got a lot of support, Ginger. Not all victims are so lucky, nor do they get media attention. Use the attention to talk about guardianship abuse so others learn and know what it's about.

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  6. You have come back from near death and you will survive this too. Keep fighting and know your fight may help others.

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  7. I am sure Randy Kennedy didn't fool anybody with his best effort at looking concerned.

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  8. We're rooting for you, Ginger! A win for you is a win for all NASGA members!

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  9. Ginger you are beating the odds. Praise God for your many supporters and those that have taken you under their wing.
    Judge Kennedy and his crooked Nashville court in in for a big suprise soon.
    And we shout.. Impeach Randy Kennedy!

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  10. Keep up the fight Ginger. I am behind you and all to stop the abuse. You did "great" I am proud of you.

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