By Debra Cassens WeissA 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… Read More

by Greg FoxORLANDO, Fla. — The scheduled sentencing of disgraced, former Florida professional guardian Rebecca Fierle will cap four years of intensified investigations into the prog… Read More

Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel/TNSby Christopher CannRebecca Fierle, the former Orlando guardian whose role in the death of a ward sparked outrage that led to changes to Florida state… Read More

What is abuse by guardians? While courts make efforts to ensure that guardians are trustworthy, some guardians have taken advantage of people in their car… Read More

With over 100,000 attorneys in Florida, finding an expert in Medicaid planning assistance can be difficult. Even certified Elder law attorneys may lack the expertise to execute an… Read More

 By Natalie Missakian En español | We applaud Virginia lawmakers and Gov. Glenn Youngkin for approving a series of AARP-backed bills that will strengthen protections for… Read More

By Douglas HanksEla Avila, a 90-year-old retired uniform maker on food stamps, is in the second year of her fight against a court-appointed guardian who controls Avila’s money, housing… Read More

By Joshua CeballosMiami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, pictured here at a press conference on Dec. 21, 2022, has called on the county to halt grant funding for the Guardianship Pr… Read More

Pinellas County Clerk of Court Ken BurkeThe Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation is hard at work creating a statewide database of guardian and guardianship case information as pr… Read More

BY DIANE DIMONDGiven that this is a crime and justice column, it is pretty safe to say this will likely be the only time I do a movie review. But considering the subject matter of the 2021… Read More

llustration: Jonathan Hurtarte/Bloomberg Law. Photographer: Jim Vondruska/Bloomberg by Ronnie GreeneIn the Name of Protection: Part 3: The GuardiansNo national standards limit the number of… Read More

Con artists are using dating sites to prey on lonely people, particularly older ones, in a pattern that accelerated during the isolation of the pandemic, federal data show. By Emily Schmal… Read More

By Jason Lanning TAMPA, Fla. — Opening statements are scheduled to start on Wednesday in the trial of a former Central Florida guardian.Rebecca Fierle, the professional guardian ousted… Read More

Restrictive guardianships deserve increased scrutiny from policymakers in order to ensure that disabled people are not denied their reproductive rights. A woman with Down syndrome draws… Read More

By Monivette Cordeiro  Rebecca Fierle, sits in a Tampa courtroom on trial having been charged with aggravated abuse and neglect of an elderly or disabled adult in Tampa, Fla., Wednes… Read More

Rep. Linda ChaneyThe Legislature has agreed to create greater transparency in the guardianship process, a top recommendation of the Guardianship Improvement Task Force.The House voted 117… Read More

Suzanne Araneo at home in Keyport, which she found empty upon her return from a months-long stay at a nursing home, after sighing a power of attorney agreement to a Medicaid advisor who star… Read More

By Diane Dimond The marvelous Betty Winstanley died in 2019, just shy of her 98th birthday in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She died in the captivity of a court-sanctioned guardianship t… Read More

Being Realistic About a Parent’s Health The C… Read More

by Kimberly Guilfoyle Nobody is ever truly prepared for their parents to experience physical and mental decline. That challenge is hard enough on its own. But unfortunately, bad actors wil… Read More

While everyone needs to plan for the future, it becomes critical for the parents of special needs and disabled children. MITCHELL KITROSER, ESQ. One of the most challenging aspects of my law… Read More

by Danielle DaRos ROYAL PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — The CBS12 News I-Team is continuing its investigation into guardianship abuse in Florida, and focusing on a common theme in ma… Read More

By Rebecca MartinU.S. Representatives Darren Soto, Gus Bilirakis, Charlie Crist, Debbie Dingell, and Brian Fitzpatrick introduced bipartisan legislation that supports the approximately 1.3… Read More

by Mike Schneider ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A former Florida guardian accused of filing "do not resuscitate" orders without her clients' permission had authority over hundreds of wards wi… Read More