As many of you probably know, Bev Cooper and her husband had 6 kids and one of them was a challenge–mentally dysfunctional, sociopathic–all in all, a ton of trouble and in and out of the system.  If you gave her more than an hour or two with another person, it would end up in a fight and often a physical fight. Years of therapy, treatment, etc. never made a dent in anything.

Then Bev’s mother fell under a guardianship and Judge Kowamoto appointed Bev’s mentally ill daughter as guardian!  Imagine that.

So Bev started her own probate blog, ProbateSharks.com, and she also had a local area cable show, Cooper’s corner.  She told her tale of horror in probate, first with her daughter and then with her mother.  She told other tales as well she has collected over the years.

The tale by her mother was fairly classic.  Daughter waits until grandma has a “confusion episode” then takes her to the bank and clears out safe deposit boxes unbeknownst to the family.  Daughter is appointed guardian, and the tale Bev relates is harrowing and I wish I could say I never heard of it, but I have heard of it numerous times.

Miriam Solo first tells the probate court that “Bev made mom cry”.  So she is either banned from seeing her mother in the hospital, or she must have $160 per hour supervision.  (This is despite the fact it never happened and Bev turned over a copy of the tape from the visit to the GAL and he just sat on it) Next step is, mom can’t come home and must live either in a nursing home or the hospital when Bev is ready, willing and able to take her home.  Home placements are preferred, so what’s up with that, MS?  Next, a DNR is slapped on mom, and she is intubated, forced to eat via a tube because she eats too slowly for the staff of a busy nursing home, but mom is still competent and wants to eat food.  Then they put up the order no food, no water and she is then starved to death.  That’s right, like a concentration camp prisoner.  Bev had the pictures.  Bev wanted to take mom home and feed her at mom’s leisure.  2 hours is nothing for a loving daughter to feed mom–I know.  Sometimes it takes hours to get the out of bed and get them to chemo and back.  But if you love someone, it’s truly not a burden.  But for a busy, profit oriented nursing home it is.

And no, this is NOT the first time I have heard this story.  It’s going on with the Rissman’s in Indiana, but they have out protestors daily in front of the hospital and they starting to give her dad drinks and soft puddings and soups again.  I hope he is safe.  You can google that story.

In the Cooper case, the fees were $1.5 million in 3 years, or $500,000 per year.

What I tell you is the TRUTH! Ken and are not making this stuff up calling for an investigation into these cases, making a noise for the elderly and infirm.  I don’t get paid for this.  I have to go and represent people with no money and no hope and no guaranteed outcome.

Where is the outrage?

The show turned out excellent and I hope to be back soon with more stories of Probate horrors.

Think twice before you go there.  Trust no one.  Check everyone out thoroughly.  Document and get records of everything as they occur.

If you’re lucky, you’ll be like me.  I was able to keep my mom at home for 4 years eating her favorite foods and taking her where she wanted.

Write, call and fax the ARDC at the address given on the page with my complaint.  Tell them you read it and it’s horsefeathers.

Attorneys have to speak out and up.  We have to stop corruption and bring it to light soon as we see or hear of it.

Everyone is invited to post or comment here, and all I turn away is spam.  I have had no adverse comments to this blog other than the ARDC.  113 positive supportive comments.

Ken and I thank you mightily.  And the families coming to court today knowing that they can complain to me when the GAL’s and judges start going the wrong way and so keep on the right path in open court thank you also.

Remember the Respondent in a petition for guardianship MUST receive a copy of the summons and complaint from a duly appointed process server or the sheriff 14 days in advance of the hearing.  All close relatives, defined as adult parents, siblings and children must be notified in writing of the time, date and place of the hearing 14 days in advance.

If this is not done, you should be able to get your case dismissed, provided your first writing in court is to object to jurisdiction.

good luck.

joanne