Nebraska Chief Justice: Guardianships Initiatives Show Success

Tighter court oversight of guardians and conservators in recent months has exposed cases of theft and misuse of funds, Nebraska's top judge said Thursday.

Chief Justice Michael Heavican said changes to state law made in 2011 are providing more protection for vulnerable adults in Nebraska.

But he said the court system is continuing to look for ways to simplify reporting requirements for guardians without weakening protections.

Some guardians have complained that the new requirements are too onerous, especially for spouses.

Heavican touched on the guardianship improvements in his State of the Judiciary speech to the Legislature.

The guardianship changes were passed in response to problems uncovered by The World-Herald. In the most egregious case, Dinah Turrentine-Sims, a court-appointed guardian-conservator, was able to steal more than $400,000 from eight of her wards in Douglas County.

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Nebraska chief justice: Guardianship, juvenile probation initiatives show success

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Nebraska Judge:  More Guardianship Oversight Caught Theft, Misuse of Funds