Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Conservatorship Strips 81-Year-Old TN Widow of All Possessions

Here in America, none of us expect to have our home, property or legal rights infringed upon without due process.

But things work a little differently than you might expect in one court system right here in Nashville.

One woman ended up losing everything, and it could happen to anyone.

Jewell Tinnon used to own a home. It was paid for.

But that house, and everything inside, was auctioned off to the highest bidder in March.

"I wish I was at home. I worked hard, and paid for it," Tinnon said.

Her car was sold, too, and her clothes and all her furniture.

The 81-year-old widow lost nearly everything after she came under a guardianship, also called a conservatorship.

The very people who were assigned by the court to watch over her, to safeguard her possessions, liquidated it all.

When a person is appointed a guardian, they can't sign contracts, or write checks, or buy and sell things. They can't vote, or drive, or marry. They can't decide what doctors to see or what medications to take. They can't chose where to live, or hire their own lawyer.

Ms. Tinnon was assigned a public guardian from an agency for the elderly. That guardian did not return our calls for this story, but we were able to talk to the attorney the judge had assigned to represent her, Karl Warden.

"I feel very sorry for her," Warden said.

Her guardian decided that a nursing home was the best place for her and said her house should be sold.

Judge [Randy] Kennedy agreed.

At a public auction, it brought $83,000. That's a little more than half of what the tax assessor said it was worth.

The guardian also cashed in her whole life insurance policy with the judge's permission, all in an attempt to turn her assets into cash to pay her bills.

[T]he judge ordered that a big chunk of the money from the sale of her house must be used to pay off her eight different lawyers and guardians, $37,645.

The frightening thing is, this could happen to anyone.

Once you're put under a conservatorship, it can cost every cent you have to get out. This is the third case we've profiled from Judge Randy Kennedy's court. You might remember the case of songwriter Danny Tate who lost his fortune fighting to get out from under a conservatorship case.

We also told you about Ginger Franklin. She fell down a flight of stairs, came under a conservatorship while in the hospital and ended up losing her condo and her car.

Judge Kennedy declined to be interviewed on this case.

Full Article and Source:
Conservatorship Strips 81-Year-Old Widow of All Possessions

See Video

15 comments:

Diane said...

This is disgusting...I hope she sues the state of Tennessee and everyone involved. This is what happened to my Mom.

StandUp said...

Kennedy's still at it. He needs to be taken off the bench to protect the vulnerable citizens of Davidson Co.

Anonymous said...

I understand Mr. Kennedy and his probate court are defendants in a Title II ADA lawsuit filed this past week or so.

Jan said...

he needs to be taken off the bench to protect every citizen of Davidson Co.

Why, just walking through the door of his courtroom constitutes an emergency and renders anyone and everyone vulnerable.

Amazes me how this guy finds an emergency in almost every appointment he makes, never mind the police never responded to any emergency calls for help from those petitioning. I guess owning property and breathing constitutes an emergency in Randy's world of warped justice.

Got an order for him to sign, crime sanctioned with a stroke of his pen, it was an emergency to get the order signed before the criminal investigation could begin.

Somone ought to do Davidson County a favor and file a petition for the appointment of an emergency conservator for Kennedy.

Anonymous said...

Get this guy off the bench!

Anonymous said...

Too bad it is impossible to get a corrupt judge off the bench.

Luis said...

It's not impossible. You have to petition, hit the streets and demonstrate!

Mike said...

I wonder what Kennedy's own mother thinks of him. More and more of these stories are coming to light. The Impeach Randy Kennedy blog is gaining attention.

He's running out of places to hide.

B Inberg said...

TO THE CITIZENS OF DAVIDSON COUNTY TN:

Please realize this is happening although it's no surprise to me.

Please get yourselves motivated to begin impeachment process by hitting the streets with petition to submit to your legislators and state leaders.

YOU WILL be in Kennedy's courtroom so beware of the dangers laying in wait.

Attorney fees can be in the $100,000.00's of thousands. You will lose everything you worked for into the pockets of lawyers and the probate gang.

We'll be reading about your loved ones or you and that is a guarantee unless you take action and take it now!

Sue said...

Probate court is nothing more than a conveyer belt running 24/7 churning people into products to feed the greed of the probate gang, leaving the well picked bones of those who survive, left to us ‘we the people’.

Now where will Ms Tinnon’s call home?

Will she be forced to replace her clothing and personal possessions from a thrift store?

I also would like to know: who was the first evaluator who (wrongfully) concluded that yes indeed, Ms Tinnon’s was prime prey for guardianship? And, I wonder how many others were wrongfully evaluated? How many fraudulent petitions for conservatorship?

Many questions ~~~ someone in power must step up, demand the answers and take appropriate actions to fix the broken system.

How many adult conservatorship cases were established via ex-parte hearings (appointments) in the year 2011? 2010? 2009? 2008? 2007?

Judge Randy Kennedy once again has proved he is incompetent. He is incapable of making rational decisions; he must be removed from the bench.

jerri said...

darn it another innocent person lost to the system thats broken down now how does the 81 year old african american woman go on where does she live where is her stuff how can she get it back or is her stuff forever lost gang is right these people a courthouse gangbangers and i hope they get what they're dishing out tenfold this thanksgiving i'll be saying extra prayers for all those who were ruined by these gangbangers

Anonymous said...

Yes, get Kennedy off the bench. And how about Judge Kawamoto in the Cook County Probate Court in Chicago.

It appears as though Kennedy and Kawamoto are of the same school.

They make me sick. KUDOS NASGA for keeping up the media presence and emotional support for vicitms of these people who do not deserve to carry the title of judge.

See what's going on in Cook County, IL at www.probatesharks.com

Anonymous said...

Can't the CoJ connect these dots? Good grief, a child could!

Thelma said...

Gangbangers? That's a helluva
description!

Anonymous said...

Courthouse GANGBANGERS! I like it, it fits many of the agents of the court, just like the gangs 'in the hood'. Now the questions is: how do we protect ourselves? I have some ideas how to remedy the situation.