Why Legal Reform Doesn’t Work
Why Legal Reform Doesn’t Work May 26, 2021 Op-Ed by Janet Phelan “The truth is a terrible thing, but not compared to falsehood.” – Jordan Peterson Legal reform is a banner under which many organizations fly. “Guardianship reform,” “Defund the police,” “End targeting,” “CPS reform” – some of these movements have clear political motivations and some simply seek to address corruption within the system. And none of them have really borne fruit. The reason is not the dedicated efforts of the organizations or individuals carrying these banners. The reason is that the very system through which reform is sought is a facade. Those in the guardianship reform movement are acutely aware that the system isn’t working. There are strong and protective laws on the books but every day, guardianship proceedings convene in courts across the US and laws are ignored, judges make decisions that have no standing in law and as a result, lives are destroyed. Assets are pilfered through these proceedings and in many cases, those under guardianship die under questionable circumstances. The Probate Murders: The War on the Vulnerable through the Courts (Part One) In some circumstances, the deaths can clearly be considered to be murder yet no one is charged, no murder trial takes place, and family, bruised and shaken by the events, migrate to a legal reform of guardianship movement. Writes retired Illinois attorney Ken Ditkowsky, “We have enough legislation as to Guardianship and its ramifications.” He goes on to explain how guardianships often get launched: In the Sallas case and too many Guardianship cases a corrupt (or ignorant as to the law) judge anxious to please (or paid to please) the petitioner allows on a dozen psychiatrists on call to testify that he examined the… Read More
