UPDATED: Receiver for Providence Place, John Dorsey, Named Federal Bankruptcy Judge

Chief Judge David J. Barron of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit announced Thursday that John A. Dorsey, Jr., has been selected to fill the upcoming vacancy in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Rhode Island that will result from Judge Diane Finkle's retirement on September 8, 2025.

"The First Circuit Court of Appeals is pleased to welcome Attorney Dorsey as the next U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Rhode Island and is certain that he will serve the people of Rhode Island well in this role. The Court is confident that Attorney Dorsey's experience with receiverships, insolvency, and distressed asset proceedings and strong ties to the Rhode Island community will make him a valuable addition to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Rhode Island as well as to the First Circuit."

Chief Judge Barron also thanked Judge Finkle for her many years of dedicated and distinguished service.

Dorsey said in a statement to GoLocal:

“I am deeply honored by this appointment and grateful to Chief Judge David J. Barron and the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit for placing their trust in me. This is the honor of a lifetime, and I accept it with great humility and responsibility. I am committed to serving the people of Rhode Island with fairness, integrity, and compassion. I look forward to continuing to build on the important work done by Judge Finkle, and will work to ensure the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Rhode Island is accessible and responsive to the needs of individuals and businesses alike—and ensure that justice is administered with humanity and respect."

 

According to his bio, “He routinely serves as a Court-appointed Receiver and Special Master in the Rhode Island Superior Court and various Municipal Courts around the State of Rhode Island. In 2019, John was named on the Rhode Island Superior Court Business Calendar committee regarding receivership proceedings.

 

EDUCATION & AWARDS

He is a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (B.S. Management, 2007) and Roger Williams School of Law (J.D., 2010). John has been named a "Rising Star" in the area of real estate law for 2015 - 2018 by Super Lawyers. 

COMMUNITY

Member, Roger Williams School of Law - Alumni Association Board of Directors (2018) 

Member, RI Black Business Association 

Member, Thurgood Marshall Law Society

Member, Board of Directors, Quonset Development Corporation (2015-2016) 

 

Barron expressed his gratitude to the members of the Bankruptcy Judge Merit Selection Panel, which was chaired by First Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Lara E. Montecalvo. The members of the Panel were First Circuit Court of Appeals Judge O. Rogeriee Thompson; District of Rhode Island Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr.; Circuit Executive Susan J. Goldberg; Hamza Chaudary, Esq., of Adler Pollock & Sheehan, P.C.; Lynda L. Laing, Esq., of Strauss, Factor, Laing & Lyons; Thomas P. Quinn, Esq., of McLaughlinQuinn LLC; John Rao, Esq., of the National Consumer Law Center; and Michael Zabelin, Esq., of Rhode Island Legal Services.

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UPDATED: Receiver for Providence Place, John Dorsey, Named Federal Bankruptcy Judge 

Advocates help raise awareness in Harrison County for Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month

 June is Alzheimer's and brain awareness month, and here in West Virginia, more than 38,000 people aged 65 and older have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's or some sort of dementia, according to the Alzheimer's Impact Movement. And as the age of people diagnosed is decreasing, general concern is increasing.

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Advocates help raise awareness in Harrison County for Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month 

Man is in coma, then a dog walks in and shocks doctors

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Man is in coma, then a dog walks in and shocks doctors 

Rep. Thompson: Making Michigan a “Next of kin” state will protect families

Contact:  Jamie Thompson 

State Rep. Jamie Thompson this week outlined before a House committee why Michigan must become a “Next of kin” state for medical care to support families during life’s most difficult moments.

Under current law, when a person becomes incapacitated without a medical power of attorney in place, Michigan families are often left to navigate complex and time-consuming legal processes – including court petitions for guardianship – before they can make urgent medical decisions for a loved one. In some situations, these delays can have profound and tragic ramifications.

“When my father was gravely ill and passed away in 2023, my family experienced firsthand the emotional and legal challenges caused by the lack of a clear next of kin framework,” Thompson said. “Countless other families experience these same hurdles every year. It’s extremely important that we install clarity, support and peace of mind for people across our state in these situations when time is of the essence. Families should not be on the phone with an attorney or trying to get a court order when they only have days or hours left to spend with a loved one.”

Thompson’s bill is part of bipartisan plan that formulates a practical process for health care decisions when no advance directive is in place by establishing a patient surrogate through Next of kin. Next of kin traditionally means a closest living blood relative, but how that’s determined can often become a legal matter that can be drawn out instead of dictated clearly through family history.

Thompson was joined in testimony by Nicole Shannon, an attorney at the Michigan Elder Justice Initiative, and Elizabeth Kutter with the Michigan Hospital Association.

“Under this bill, one’s closest family member would have priority to serve as their medical decision maker if they single and have not signed a designation of patient advocate,” said Shannon. “Michiganders are still free and encouraged to execute patient advocate designations, but for the millions of people who have not signed these documents, this bill will provide an important default.” 

“These bills will be an effective way forward,” said Thompson, who is also a nurse. “Since I introduced this legislation, I have heard from numerous health professionals who are supportive of these plans, and they have reported to me that they would fill a critical gap in our laws. These are crucial reforms for Michigan families and our hardworking care providers.”

House Bill 4418, which Thompson has sponsored, and HB 4419 remain under consideration in the House Judiciary Committee. 

Full Article & Source:
Rep. Thompson: Making Michigan a “Next of kin” state will protect families 

‘He failed in his fiduciary duty’: My brother liquidated our mother’s 401(k) for her nursing home. He claimed the rest.

‘My brother, the executor of her will, coerced her during her illness to give him power of attorney’

By Quentin Fottrell 

Dear Quentin,

My mother recently passed away; she had blood cancer, which was diagnosed 2023. I was to receive half of all her assets. My brother, the executor of her will, coerced her during her illness to give him power of attorney. My mother and brother liquidated her significant 401(k) account into a fund to help with home/nursing care. 

My brother is now stating that the balance, which was not consumed by nursing-home costs, is lawfully his. I have requested a copy of the power-of-attorney document. I have, in-hand, all wills by my father and mother where it clearly states all assets are to be divided equally, including stocks in her 401(k). I also have texts stating that the funds were liquidated for this purpose. 

My understanding is that he failed in his fiduciary duty as the POA was void at death. 

What can I do?

The Sister

Dear Sister,

It may or may not have been a good idea, at the time, to liquidate your mother’s 401(k) to pay for her nursing home, but desperate times sometimes call for creative measures. To do it all at once raises questions about tax implications and your brother’s motivations for creating such a pile of cash. Given that he now lays claim to it, the answer seems to paint him in a bad light.

The only way he could access this money — as you say, his POA duties were null and void upon your mother’s death — is if he deposited this money in a bank account with his name on it. Either that, or he added his name to an existing account in your mother’s name. It’s an old trick: telling an elderly parent you’re a co-signer while making yourself a co-owner.

Larceny, the theft of someone’s property, is a felony in most states, depending on the amount stolen. He is likely betting on your legal inexperience and good nature to get away with it. There is a statute of limitations on elder financial abuse in most states, and you should treat this as such.

---

Larceny, the theft of someone’s property, is a felony in most states, depending on the amount stolen.

The Securities Industries and Financial Markets Association, or Simfa, has a checklist for financial abuse, including “numerous withdrawals of smaller amounts” and “changing power of attorney or the beneficiaries on insurance or investment accounts.” Simfa recommends people in your position to contact an Eldercare Locator information specialist toll-free on 800-677-1116 weekdays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time. It has both English- and Spanish-speaking specialists. 

But now you are faced with a dilemma: Can you prove that your brother committed fraud and/or elder financial abuse by helping himself to her substantial 401(k)? If he had, for instance, taken a reverse mortgage on your mother’s house to pay for the home, the remaining equity would have remained in your mother’s estate and, as such, would have gone through probate. 

The sooner you consult a lawyer and contact your late mother’s bank, the better. Executors and power of attorneys, as you suggest, don’t have unfettered power. They have a legal responsibility to act in their client’s best interest, and they can face civil and criminal penalties for failing in those duties. Self-dealing is obviously a no-no.

Your attorney will likely advise you to file a petition and remove your brother as executor and, hopefully, freeze any bank accounts that he has access to. Executors can be removed for enriching themselves at the expense of the estate through incompetence or financial malfeasance. You’re being hoodwinked and gaslighted by your brother.

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‘He failed in his fiduciary duty’: My brother liquidated our mother’s 401(k) for her nursing home. He claimed the rest.  

Senior social isolation: A silent epidemic, as deadly as cigarettes

Judith Ruiz-Branch, Producer

Senior advocates are sounding the alarm about the effects of social isolation on older people in Illinois, saying loneliness is comparable to smoking and can increase the risk of early death by 50%.

Research shows a lack of social connection is as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

Jeanne Heid-Grubman, director of strategic initiatives for Chicago Methodist Senior Services, called social isolation and loneliness in seniors a "silent epidemic," explaining the older people get, the more likely their interactions with others will decrease.

"A lot of attention is paid to medical issues, physical issues," Heid-Grubman observed. "But it's that social aspect of us as human beings that I feel is kind of neglected."

About 40% of adults over age 60 in Illinois live alone. Heid-Grubman said community initiatives like Chicago Methodist's Senior Connections program, which matches people for intergenerational friendships, aim to encourage connectedness, citing studies showing social connection increases the odds of survival and happiness.

Heid-Grubman noted in her 45-year career, she has seen many people struggle to find meaning in their lives as they age. She argued it is important not to view older adults as "pathetically lonely," because they have a lot to offer. Heid-Grubman shared one client's story of losing her husband and having no local family but finding friendship and joy through her intergenerational "match." She added some matches have grown to become as close as family, sharing holidays and trips together.

"In being able to give that to other people -- their wisdom, their stories about things that they've gone through -- that makes their life have more meaning," Heid-Grubman pointed out.

Richard Frohbose, director of operations for Meals on Wheels of Northern Illinois, said his organization encourages community connectedness through more than 20 café sites. They also partner with local transit services to provide transportation, home-delivered meals and wellness checks to homebound seniors.

"Our clients tells us that they depend on our services," Frohbose stressed. "Some would not eat without us. Some would never see a friendly face or speak to another person."

Frohbose explained they are reaching out to local hospitals and mental health providers to offer "social prescribing" services, and are working on a new technological wellness check initiative to help combat senior isolation in communities across the state.  

Full Article & Source:
Senior social isolation: A silent epidemic, as deadly as cigarettes 

Former caretaker sentenced to 30 years after Ankeny man dies in squalor, neglect

by William Morris

Key Points 

• Diana Lynn Becker-Abeyta, 63, was sentenced to 30 years in prison in the death of 73-year-old Ray Crammond, for whom she was a caretaker.
• Becker-Abeyta pleaded guilty to dependent adult abuse and financial exploitation, and entered an Alford plea to involuntary manslaughter.
• Crammond was found malnourished, neglected, and suffering from bedsores, ultimately dying from pneumonia caused by an infection.

An Ankeny woman accused of fatally neglecting an elderly man while using his Social Security benefits for herself has been sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Diana Lynn Becker-Abeyta, 63, was a paid live-in caretaker for 73-year-old Ray Crammond until his death in April 2023. Summoned to Crammond's home, first responders found him malnourished, dirty and neglected, with numerous bed sores, and learned Becker-Abeyta, who was not licensed as a caregiver, had not been giving him his prescribed medications, prosecutors alleged.

Taken to a hospital, Crammond died several days later of pneumonia that investigators determined was caused by an infection. A medical examiner classified his death as a homicide.

Becker-Abeyta pleaded guilty to dependent adult abuse-financial exploitation, admitting she'd taken some of Crammond's federal benefit money. She separately entered an Alford plea to a count of involuntary manslaughter, maintaining she was innocent but acknowledging the strong evidence against her.

Judge calls case 'horrific'

On Thursday, May 29, she was sentenced to consecutive 15-year terms for each offense. Because Becker-Abeyta also admitted to being a habitual offender due to prior felony drug and fraud convictions, she must serve at least six years before she is eligible for probation. In addition, she must pay $150,000 in restitution to Crammond's heirs, as required by Iowa law.

Judge Paul Scott called the case "horrific," according to a news release from the Polk County Attorney's Office, saying that "the degradation of human body to the extent shown in the photos doesn’t happen overnight.”

Becker-Abeyta apologized at the hearing, calling Crammond a "wonderful man" and saying, "I didn’t do any of this intentionally. … I was in over my head,” according to the news release.

Her attorneys had asked the court to sentence her to probation. 

Full Article & Source:
Former caretaker sentenced to 30 years after Ankeny man dies in squalor, neglect 

See Also:
Ankeny woman charged with murder in death of 73-year-old, bedridden man

Man disgusted by accusations against attorney of his mom's estate

A man says he's shocked after a Westmoreland County lawyer who allegedly took advantage of his late mother's estate shot himself in his Murrysville office and was tased after a standoff with police. KDKA-TV's Shelley Bortz reports. 

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Man disgusted by accusations against attorney of his mom's estate 

Wyoming Senator Co-Sponsors Mental Health for Elderly Bill

A new bipartisan bill in Congress aims to make it easier for people on Medicare to access mental health services.

Wyoming Senator John Barrasso is one of the two sponsors. Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat from Delaware, is the other. The bipartisan legislation, called the Expanding Seniors Access to Mental Health Services Act, was introduced in Congress on May 15. The legislation would improve access to licensed clinical social workers for people on Medicare.

Senator Barrasso said in a statement last month that mental health services for seniors is vital. “For those living in rural communities, finding a mental health provider is challenging.” The senator said the bipartisan bill is designed to “help more patients get the care they need.”

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, about one in every five Americans aged 65 and older reported having symptoms of anxiety and depression in February 2023. Many do not receive care.

Senator Coon said in a statement that the bill “fixes … rules and expands Medicare coverage to allow social workers to provide the best care to seniors when they need it most.”

The National Association of Social Workers supports the bill.

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Wyoming Senator Co-Sponsors Mental Health for Elderly Bill