Thursday, July 10, 2014

Court: Ohio Guardian Can't Take New Cases

Franklin County Probate Court has barred a lawyer who is under criminal investigation from obtaining any new guardianship cases.

The court has held hearings the past two months asking the lawyer, Paul S. Kormanik, to explain his billing practices. They were among the potential abuses exposed in a series of stories in The Dispatch that detailed a broken system for caring for people the court has deemed incompetent to care for themselves.

The court has found in several cases that Kormanik misused a taxpayer-supported fund that pays attorney guardians up to $420 annually to handle legal matters for indigent people.

“Of the 17 cases thus far reviewed, the court found cause for concern in 16 cases,” Judge Robert G. Montgomery wrote in a court order. “Based upon the large percentage of cases with irregularities causing concern ... the court will impose a moratorium on appointing attorney Kormanik as guardian on any further cases.”

Court officials also said they are investigating several other guardians, some of them also lawyers, but declined to name specific cases.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine’s office and Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien are also investigating Kormanik’s billing practices and his use of Medicaid funds. That investigation is expected to take several months.

Full Article and Source:
Court:: Guardian Can't Take New Cases

See Also:
Unguarded:  A Dispatch Series

3 comments:

Thelma said...

It's hard to believe that in this day and age, with hi-tech all around us, that these hungry beasts can't be caught early on, which puts the blame on government as well - judges and legislators included.

Anonymous said...

This is exactly what they need to do with Jewish Family Service of Tidewater, Catholic Charities of Eastern Virginia, and their hand-picked guardian ad litem, Colleen T. Dickerson.

Turn over a rock, and something slimy crawls out, every single time.

Walter said...

Get him in the pocket book -- that's the only thing that stops them.