Elder Law

Judge reprimanded for false ‘elder abuse’ claim on Facebook in spat over guardianship case

An Ohio judge has received a public reprimand for inaccurately asserting on Facebook that an elderly woman was removed from her home because of its “deplorable conditions” and her son’s failure to take care of her.

Aug 22, 2024 8:43 AM CDT

Retirement: The final frontier

I recently retired after practicing family law for 25 years. I enjoyed the practice of law, but as you can imagine, my job had its share of stress and anxiety.

Jun 13, 2024 8:30 AM CDT

Federal judge refuses to order reinstatement of 96-year-old federal appeals judge, her second loss in a week

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has refused to order reinstatement to new case assignments for a 96-year-old federal appeals judge who claims that the laws governing judicial disability are unconstitutional.

Feb 12, 2024 3:56 PM CST

Am I losing my mind? How to maintain cognitive abilities as senior lawyers age

Ever have that thought? “I must be losing my mind because I can’t remember where I parked my car or set my iPhone, your name—although I recognize your face—an address, a birthday, a password, a set of numbers, what I was looking for, etc.” Many aging lawyers have—including me.

Feb 8, 2024 2:46 PM CST

Federal appeals judge, 96, fails to overturn suspension order for refusing to cooperate in fitness probe

A 96-year-old federal appeals judge who refused to cooperate with medical testing to determine her mental fitness for the bench has failed to persuade a reviewing body that she is entitled to resume deciding new cases.

Feb 7, 2024 3:32 PM CST

Retiring Reluctantly: As lawyers age, many struggle with exit strategies

For years, law firms across the country have been grappling with what to do with the baby boomers, the generation born between 1946 and 1964, as they reach and surpass the typical retirement age of 65. The problem, law firm consultants say, is that lawyers often don’t want to leave.

Jan 11, 2024 9:24 AM CST

Elder law attorney sues guardianship reform advocate for alleged libel

A Tampa, Florida, attorney has been granted leave to file an amended complaint in his libel lawsuit against the founder of a guardianship reform group for his alleged comments about “predatory attorneys” and probate litigators lying in court.

Sep 1, 2023 10:19 AM CDT

Appeals judge kicked off bench; ‘the judiciary has no place for dishonest persons,’ top state court says

The Georgia Supreme Court has removed a state appeals judge from office after concluding that he took advantage of an elderly client and used campaign cash for a vacation.

Aug 17, 2023 9:54 AM CDT

Guardianship Bill of Rights for adults passes ABA House; ‘it is needed’

The ABA House of Delegates passed a resolution Monday urging all law and policymaking bodies to adopt the Guardianship Bill of Rights, which recognizes 21 rights for adults who have a guardian.

Aug 7, 2023 5:00 PM CDT

Federal appeals judge should be suspended for failing to cooperate in mental fitness probe, report says

A special committee appointed to investigate the competence of a 96-year-old federal appeals judge is recommending that she be suspended from hearing all cases for a year for failing to cooperate in the probe.

Aug 4, 2023 1:04 PM CDT

Ex-judge agrees to disbarment after she is accused of stealing money from former Tuskegee Airman

A retired judge in Cook County, Illinois, has asked the Illinois Supreme Court to remove her from the attorney rolls after an ethics complaint accused her of stealing more than $246,000 from a Tuskegee Airman who had been married to her aunt.

Jun 30, 2023 8:41 AM CDT

Lawyer for federal appeals judge barred from new cases finds orders ‘incredible’ and ‘stunning’

A lawyer representing a 95-year-old federal appeals judge is criticizing a judicial council’s refusal to assign her new cases and an investigating committee’s new focus on her failure to cooperate.

Jun 8, 2023 8:58 AM CDT

Lawyer censured for using TeamViewer to snoop on former firm’s business activity

A lawyer in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, has been censured after acknowledging that he “fell into stupid” and accessed his former law firm’s computer system to monitor his former partner’s business activity.

Jun 6, 2023 3:24 PM CDT

Competency concerns lead to investigation of 95-year-old appeals judge

A 95-year-old judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is being investigated by the court’s judicial council after concerns were raised about her competency. The judge has refused to accept service of orders issued in the case.

Apr 17, 2023 9:51 AM CDT

Appeals judge should be removed for using client and campaign account as a ‘personal ATM,’ ethics panel says

A judicial ethics panel is recommending removal of a suspended Georgia appeals judge for exploiting an elderly client before joining the bench and using campaign cash when he was a state legislator to pay for personal expenses, including a family trip to Hawaii.

Jan 31, 2023 3:35 PM CST