Vanden Brook Should Succeed Judge Taylor

After a long and successful career as 16th circuit court judge, Sandra Taylor is not a candidate for re-election. She has done a commendable job and we extend our thanks to her for her public service. With her retirement, five citizens will be on the Aug. 26 ballot, hoping to succeed her.

In 1994, counties were ordered to create separate family courts. That is the role that Taylor has been filling. Judge Luis Garcia, who is the chief judge-elect, will decide which judge in District 16 will be designated to serve the family court. However, each of the candidates assumes that he or she will appoint the winner of this election.

If one candidate gets 50 percent plus one vote of the votes cast, that person will be elected. If not, the two with the most votes will advance to a runoff in the Nov 4th election.

Our choice for this position is Mary Vanden Brook, who has ample experience as an attorney for the prosecution as well as the defense. Even more important is her experience in the family court system.

She has served children as the first attorney in the Guardian Ad Litem program helping children-victims prepare for the deposition process and setting up the protocol. Later, Vanden Brook became director of Guardian Ad Litem, running that volunteer-based program for three years.

In 1995, she began building the family court system in Monroe County. Through 2005, she was the family court manager, general master and mediator for the 16th Judicial Circuit. For the last three years, she has been the 16th circuit's trial court administrator.

Vanden Brook also created and operated the circuit's Self-Help Program to aid people who wished to represent themselves.

Vanden Brook, who has lived in the Florida Keys for 20 years, received her bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin and her Juris Doctor degree from Marquette University.

Manny Madruga, who has served as assistant prosecutor for the past 18 years, has prepared himself well for this position with his involvement in children's activities in the Keys. He has been president of the Key West Boys & Girls Clubs, as well as working on the Children ID program with the Masonic Lodge F&AM and Christina's Courage. Madruga has spent most of his time as a prosecutor and told the Editorial Board that prosecutors never would send a case to court unless they believed the accused were guilty. That's fine if you're a prosecutor, but that same thinking as a judge would go against innocent until proven guilty.

Tegan Slaton has been an attorney since 1991. He believes he is an expert in child support laws and is a strong advocate in enforcing child support. He has served in the Public Defender's Office and in 1999 became the Keys' first traffic magistrate. He's a certified mediator and has served as family law magistrate at the Key West and Plantation Key courts. For 15 years, he has heard divorce cases and sent his recommendations on to Taylor to make the final decision. Slaton is married to Public Defender Rosemary Enright and, while he would have to recuse himself from cases defended by that entity, he says his marriage is a "non-issue" in this election.

Jiulio Margelli, who has owned his own law office in Key West since 2000, is a special magistrate for the family and civil divisions and has extensive experience in complex family, civil and criminal law matters. He was a candidate for County Commission in 2000 and served three years on the county Planning Commission before resigning.

Richard Behr, who has lived in Key Largo for 11 years, is an associate attorney at Vernis and Bowling. He claims 21 years of experience in both criminal and civil law and has extensive experience in domestic relations, probate and juvenile matters.

Vanden Brook is our choice.

— The Citizen

Guardianship Cases Getting Attention

As evidence is starting to mount about a Guardianship laws going awry and being used for personal gain by unscrupulous attorneys who use incapacitated persons who have been abused as a vehicle for enrichment , more and more people are voicing concern at this practice.

Here Fox News 7 is seeing reporting on this widely accepted but revolting practice =>>

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" The Pimping by Probate Courts Nationwide"

A National Probate Court Crime

PROBATE COURTS NATIONALLY ARE PIMPING BOTH THEIR DEAD AND LIVING CITIZENS.

Probate Court Officers are holding citizens as " Ward Hostages" to loot their estates. How much longer is it going to take before each jurisdiction both stops this irreversible crime and criminally indict these greedy, ruthless people? Starting first with the judges who lead this abuse and criminal activity against many thousands of families.

I would like to hear your story of abuse, theft, collusion between nursing homes, social workers, and attorneys, probate judges, guardians and any other group or institution participating in this collusion to benefit their coffers on your back.

Please let others know of this documentary to share their probate court's abuse stories.

Tolu2Books.Com can be reached at Tolu@aol.com

If We Don't Believe...

If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all." -Noam Chomsky-

Picture This

(This is why more and more people, mainly the elderly, are refusing needed medical attention.)

You are 70+ years old. You live in a nice little apartment, by yourself. Your husband has died but your kids see you everyday. Your friends come by and you are happy! It`s OK!

Not glamorous but....... it is your Golden years. And a God given right to live out those years as you wish. You have worked hard all your life, saved money and earned this right - to live out your life as you wish! And you are happy!

But then you make that fatal mistake! You trip over a slipper or fall picking up your newspaper, or.......................

And then a doctor tells you that you should not live alone. And he files a report to the health department, APS, Social Services, Public Guardian , The Doctor is problably acting in your best interests he does not have any idea of what he has just incited!

In walks APS/Public Guardian! And they, complete strangers, decide what is "best" for you. And these strangers do this with complete disregard for your wishes or will! And these strangers have total control over your medical and financial affairs, backed by the court.

Their first objective is to malign and alienate family members, as they just "get in the way!" If your daughter or grandson complains, out of concern, for your well being you will probably not see much of them. Restraining orders will be filed and approved by the court!

(ignore them, it worked for me! And if it doesn`t, the newspaper will love a story like that) You are now at the mercy of total strangers!

And their main concern, of course, your money! They will ask for, and receive, complete control of your assets by the court. Your new "guardian" now has the power to hire lawyers, sell your stock, sell your property, pay themselves and, pretty much, do what ever they like with your money! And of course, under the auspices of "this is done to take care of the ward!" Yep, you are a ward of complete strangers! Strangers that make a very comfortable living from "taking care of you!"

Their next concern for your "care" will be to put you in the cheapest nursing home they can find. And this is, quite probably, where you will die....and most certainly before your time. And, as the pattern seems to fit, not long after strangers have spent most all of your money! Could that be a coincidence?

Remember that nice little apartment? You are now a non-person with, absolutely, no rights! And your family and friends cannot help you! And when you come to reach that awareness.............. boy, it must be a pretty crappy feeling!

Life is not long. Life is short! And every second should be treasured. The
end of life should not be this way. And for this end to be a way of life - and
death - for so many well, I don`t have words to express,........... just ANGER!

Remember that nice little apartment?

William Roberts

Welcome To The New American Gulag

Adoptive daughter and guardianship
Sunday , July 20, 2008, 11:22 PM

I am in north TX. Have a 22 y/o adoptive daughter ( from Europe) who is being turned into an orphan again by guardianship services organization. They are not allowing her to see any family and most friends, as we have discovered the abuse she lives with in group homes - they have forced her into in TX. Have filed complaint with state and spent 20,000 with attorneys - all to no avail.

Greg Ionatx@aol.com

-------------------------------------

America’s “Property-Poaching-By-Probate” Paradise Strikes Again

by Estate of Denial.Com

Whoever believes that “good” ultimately wins out over “evil” may have to rethink that position after any scrutiny of America’s probate system. Of late, Connecticut has deservedly received much attention and today is no different with the resignation of probate court administrator James J. Lawlor.

It’s hard to know what to say. You want to believe wrongdoers get their comeuppance, but the truth is that bad people do bad things to good people on a daily basis and they get away with it — sometimes with the help of our American judicial system. As James Lawlor, a guy tasked with protecting Connecticut’s taxpayers and upgrading the state’s level of judicial integrity, likely “ruffled some feathers,” he’s gone.

Next week, we’ll see if former Connecticut attorney Peter Sivaslian, accused of embezzling nearly $5 million from the estate of an elderly Barkhamsted woman suffering from dementia, will receive any jail time. (Check back tomorrow for background on this story.)

And of course in August we’ll be watching to see if Austin (TX) attorney Terry Erwin Stork gets jail time or any significant sentence for stealing from three of his clients’ estates.

Bottom line: government - and that means elected and appointed officials as well as employees - no longer deserves to be considered trustworthy in their role “of the people, by the people and for the people.” That may position some good people in a bad light, but that’s okay as we’ve seen too many good people uselessly harmed by an unresponsive government which too often is self-dealing or else aids and abets (either directly or through tacit complicity) its unethical, greedy allies.

We’re tired of this betrayal, but we’ve got lots of energy to keep “shining light on the dark side of estate management” - and government, this means you, too!

Letters to Editor - Meet Doctor Vernon Sinn M.D.

From: Sharon Denney

This is Doctor Vernon Sinn. He is a physician whose specialty was internal medicine. He also practiced in the cardiology area. He was, in every way, a scholar.He also earned a law degree.

He used all of his degrees to help others. He never failed to lend a helping hand to those who needed it.

Six years ago, Dr. Sinn had a run of bad luck. He lost his mother and his wife in the same time frame. Shortly after dealing with those two losses, Dr. Sinn took sick himself. He developed a serious form of cancer and was hospitalized.

His doctors didn’t believe he could recover. But Dr. Sinn fooled them.His remarkable strength and courage gave him the will to recover. He discovered, however, that in his absence he had been robbed of everything he owned, of all that he had worked for, and all that permitted him to reminisce about his earlier life with his family, his mother, and his wife.

During his illness, in order to “protect” him and to pay his bills and handle his affairs, the court assigned a guardian. However, as Dr. Sinn soon found out, the guardian had not protected him. The guardian had looted his assets. Dr. Sinn had nothing left. His home and his mother’s house had been sold. His assets were sold or distributed to others. His savings were gone. The guardian, certain that Dr. Sinn would not survive his ordeal, had taken it all. That was six years ago. After a lifetime of hard work and giving to others, Dr. Sinn was taken for all that he had.

Thus began a legal odyssey that sent Dr. Sinn knocking on every official door in the state of Illinois asking for an accounting for his belongings, his and his family’s money, and their homes. To date, he has received no answers. His cherished belongings, including a valuable organ, are turning up all over the state in the hands of others. He has discovered conflicts of interest, double dealing, dirty dealing, and obvious theft. Despite those findings, the state of Illinois has steadfastly refused to investigate this situation.

Dr. Sinn deserves better, much better. No American should be the victim of officially sanctioned theft. Our tax dollars should never go to support a system that is thoroughly corrupt.

Dr. Vernon Sinn vernon-sinn@webtv.net

For More Info on State sanctioned elder abuse and exploitaion in Illinois go to =>>http://dupagecorruption.org/elderabuse.html and http://dupagecorruption.org/

Lootings of Assets Leads to Serious Consequences

by Estate Of Denial.Com

“You can’t hang a man for killin’ a woman whose trying to steal your horse.” Those are some of our favorite words written by Texas’ own Willie Nelson. And a newly convicted Austin outlaw named Terry Erwin Stork best be pleased that the “Red Headed Stranger” code of justice isn’t in effect as a horse would likely be considered part of an estate, something from which Mr. Stork’s been convicted of stealing - and not even once, but three times! See link.

Terry Erwin Stork. He betrayed his clients’ trust. He stole from their heirs and other designated beneficiaries. He discredited his profession and provided fresh ammunition for people who believe that “all lawyers are crooks.” And we hope he serves as an example for those in his profession and other current or wannabe estate looters that bad consequences can occur when you steal from the dead and/or the disabled and their families.

Estate of Denial is familiar with Stork. Background articles are available at:

http://www.estateofdenial.com/?p=58
http://www.estateofdenial.com/?p=61
http://www.estateofdenial.com/?p=57

We are pleased that the Travis County (Texas) District Attorney’s office took on this case. It may have happened in response to Tony Plohetski and the Austin American Statesman’s coverage of the ease with which Involuntary Redistribution of Assets (IRA) cases are occurring — but we appreciate progress however or from wherever it comes.

And while realizing that prosecution of these cases occurs in an environment with limited resources and competes with many violent or heinous crimes also requiring attention, the families to which this happens are generally law abiding, taxpaying citizens who deserve (and have paid for) better treatment than they have previously received from taxpayer-funded entities such as elected officials, law enforcement, civil and criminal courts.

It is understood that county district attorneys and courts would rather relegate these cases to civil actions as they don’t want their resources tied up and these cases can be good income generators for court personnel and attorneys on the civil side of things. This attitude however, we believe, perpetuates more IRA cases as civil trials are cost prohibitive, time consuming and emotionally exhausting to a point that many people - though completely deserving of justice - can’t pursue such an action and continue with any type productive life. All involved - the public officials, lawyers and those of us experienced in being an IRA target - are aware of this reality as also are the looters and the poachers who, because of our “pay to play” legal system, become even further emboldened to commit these dishonest actions with minimal concern for future accountability or liability.

And to the defensive bureaucratic response of “would you rather us not pursue criminals who are raping and murdering people and instead focus on those who are stealing from estates?” we would simply point out that IRA cases are often actions of opportunity made attractive due to an unlikeliness of negative consequences. Should IRA perpetrators (lawyers and otherwise) start understanding that looting assets from estates can lead to serious, even criminal consequences, the appeal of such actions will diminish as likely will the numbers of these cases.

We generally try to avoid overtly angry tones in our postings, but the nature and close physical proximity of this case makes this posting an especially difficult task. Terry Erwin Stork is not the first grave robber. He is not the last - especially not in Travis County. “Shining light on the dark side of estate management” is critical. Thank you to Tony Plohetski and the Austin American Statesman for their efforts.

Meanwhile, we hope that Mr. Stork receives the full measure of sentencing that can be imposed. His age is of no consequence. In fact, it’s unfortunate that he is not younger only so that he could have longer to endure the consequences of his criminality. Having talked with many Involuntary Redistrubution of Assets (IRA) targets, it’s obvious that the negative impact of these actions will stay with them for the rest of their lives. An upcoming EoD column will adress this topic because easy as these cases are to dismiss with just “being about the money,” it’s a far greater violation than most people bother trying to understand. Nevertheless, Mr. Stork will hopefully have the same scarring experience as other IRA victims throughout his remaining years - and preferably from behind bars.

Robert L. Aldridge, Atty at law, testimony before Congress

"Misleading unsworn or untested allegations maligning family members are the norm in forced guardianships.
This would require legislation to amend the mental health statutes to mandate a due process hearing when there are allegations maligning a family member, before a judge is permitted to render any decision, including the right to trial by jury on behalf of the family member(s)."

Robert L. Aldridge, Atty at law, testimony before Congress 2003

Guardian Abuse Documentary to be Filmed

An independent film producer in Hollywood is interested in filming a documentary on Guardianship/ Conservatorship abuse. He has contacts who will fund the project and is very enthusiastic in moving forward.

What we are talking about is having his film crew travel to homes of victims, interview them and their families; also any attorneys, legislatures, advocates of reform, etc. This is in the beginning, planning stages. If you are interested in being part of this project, or know someone who has a story that is worth telling, let us know.

Send your thoughts and ideas to robin_westmiller@yahoo.com and ray@elderabusehelp.org We're looking for a "celeb" to host the documentary. This is really BIG people. We've been trying to get a break like this for a very long time!! And we need your participation and input!

Heads up Texans ! Defending the American Dream

Also, for those in Texas, please remember that Americans for Prosperity is hosting a Defending the American Dream Texas Summit on July 18 and 19 in Austin. This year’s theme will highlight using the New Media to redefine citizens’ role in public policy as well as provide important policy information regarding issues facing all Texans. Estate of Denial will be there discussing “Threats to Freedom and Your Pocketbook.” Hope to see you there!

"If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people, under the pretence of taking care of them, they must become happy."---Thomas Jefferson

"When the government fears the people there is liberty.When the people fear the government, there is tyranny." -- Thomas Jefferson

"But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be Restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever." --John Adams July 17, 1775