Our Vision:
Reforming Guardianship and Conservatorship
F.A.C.E.U.S. Families Against Court Embezzlement Unethical Standards is a nonprofit organization that seeks to correct abuses in our court system involving guardianship’s (and conservatorships). Far too often courts sponsor unethical behavior by guardianship professionals, who often focus on profiting at the expense of those whom the guardianship system is intended to serve and protect. We address the problems of restrictive guardianship’s and intrusive interventions. Our goal is to ensure that everyone has a fair and just due process, that the process is transparent and open to public view and the voices, documents, and freedoms of wards and their families are preserved, and their properties protected from unjust expropriation.
The Probate Trap podcasts provide hundreds of personal stories that illustrate how guardianship professionals (including court-appointed guardians, conservators, guardians-ad-litem, and their counsel, supported by courts) ignore and override the constitutional rights of wards and families and give control of wards and their property to court appointed strangers, without due process. Wards are isolated, removed from their homes -and held in institutions against their will; denied visiting rights, and their life savings stripped. Legal documents are ignored, and basic rights denied.
Our mission and vision is to build a guardianship system that intervenes only when truly necessary, using the least intrusive means; that respect wards’ personal liberty and prevents stripping of their assets to benefit professionals; where court-appointed professionals are held accountable for their improper and often unlawful actions; and courts side with wards and their families instead of with guardianship professionals. Court appointed professionals should face censure and prosecution when their willful actions harm those in their care, including financial exploitation. For the sake of yourself, your children, and grandchildren: Join us in creating transparency and accountability in our courts!
Guardianship and Conservatorship Abuse
For those who have not been personally involved, the unethical and sometimes criminal activities that occur over and over in guardianship proceedings are largely invisible to the public. Many state courts seal their guardianship cases and neither state nor federal governments keep track of guardianship’s, their costs and their outcomes. Many cases remain open for years, and sometimes decades.
The U.S. Guardianship and Conservatorship industry seems poorly regulated and has very little protection for our loved ones. It’s estimated there are up to 3 million active adult guardianship’s, with upwards of five hundred billion dollars in assets controlled by guardians. These amounts are often spent primarily to benefit the professionals.
Many people still believe courts are halls of justice, but there’s very little justice to be had. Safeguards are nearly nonexistent. As hosts since 2016 of a radio show and now podcast, we’ve heard similar stories repeated thousands of times.
Veterans, seniors, disabled young adults, stroke, and other brain disorder victims, trapped and suffering under an unethical system that strips their constitutional rights, and forces a for-profit court appointed guardian, conservator, and often both upon them. Vulnerable people are stripped of their dignity, voice, freedom, life savings, homes, and personal belongings. Many are locked in a facility or group home, isolated, medicated with psychotropic drugs, and, often, they die alone. Sometimes, families aren’t notified until days, weeks, or months later. This unethical, broken system is full of flaws that allows guardianship professionals to take full advantage of what they call a “ward” …or… “protected person.” All this is done under ‘color of law,’ and the supposedly watchful eyes of a judge. Many court appointees are well-meaning and trustworthy, but all too many are predators. Courts are all too often captured by the predatory guardians, rubber-stamp their requests to initiate a guardianship and their fees, no matter how outrageous, and ignore family efforts to protect wards against the guardians’ actions.
Many of the stories captured here, under Podcasts, Personal Stories, and News Articles paint a picture of how outrageous the system has become. Some will anger you or seem unbelievable! Still more stories can be found in our book, The Probate Trap, and other books. They are true. The hard facts of how abusive guardians and conservators have taken advantage of the guardianship system and ruined millions of lives are undeniable. For our most vulnerable seniors, golden years turn into stolen years, a living nightmare that they cannot escape!
Recognizing the abuse is a first step. Taking a stand, and speaking up against abusive guardianship’s and the courts whose actions support these guardianship’s can improve the guardianship system and restore its original purpose to protect, rather than exploit those in need. We all must become educated, and take precautions, so we don’t get trapped and become legal hostages of a corrupt guardianship system, and the courts that support it.
Supporters
This website, and the effort to reform the guardianship system, is supported by the following organizations.
F.A.C.E.U.S. (Families Against Court Embezzlement Unethical Standards)
This website: www.probatetrap.org Founders: Robin Austin and Luanne Fleming, faceusradio@hotmail.com Resources: Luanne Fleming, The Probate Trap (forthcoming 2025)
F.A.C.E.U.S. seeks to correct guardianship and conservatorship abuse in our court system. Far too often courts sponsor unethical behavior by guardianship professionals that produces profits for the professionals at the expense of those who the guardianship system is intended to serve. Our goal is to ensure that everyone has a fair and just due process, their voices and freedoms are preserved, and their properties protected from unjust expropriation.
CEAR (Center for Estate Administration Reform)
Website: www.cearjustice.org; Information: info@CEARjustice.org Executive Director: Richard Black, rick@cearejustice.org; (804) 564-5330 19825 N Cove Road, Suite B176, Cornelius, NC 28031
CEAR is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization with a mission to educate and seek justice for Americans when they are threatened by the growing problem of abusive probate, trust and guardianship fraud.
Kasem Cares Foundation
Website: https://kasemcares.org/ Contact: Kerri Kasem; kasempoint@gmail.com; (804)564-5330 (voicemail only)
The work of Kasem Cares addresses the experiences of an increasing number of families whose family members need protection from abuse, regardless of their financial status. Increasingly, adult family members around the country need to protect ailing relatives whose lives are being controlled by someone who restricts access to and creates inhumane conditions for a vulnerable adult. [*short blurb]
Liberators for Justice
Website: https://liberators4justice.org/. Information: info@liberators4justice.org Contact: Misty Dion, mdion@cilncp.org
Liberators for Justice (L4J) is a coalition that supports an individual’s right to exercise choice and control over their lives. We strongly oppose the use of guardianship as a tool for institutionalization and other rights infringements against people with disabilities. Guardianship, by diminishing our self determination, dignity, and community participation, is wholly incompatible with the Independent Living philosophy and the disability rights movement.
Spectrum Institute
Website: http://www.spectruminstitute.org/ Executive Director: Thomas Coleman, tomcoleman@spectruminstitute.org; (818) 230-5156 1717 E. Vista Chino A7-384, Palm Springs, CA 92262
Spectrum Institute is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization which focuses on research, education, and advocacy efforts to secure justice and equal rights for a wide range of marginalized and disadvantaged populations, including sexual minorities, single people, diverse families, and people with disabilities.
Beyond Brooke: Advancing Elder Justice
Website: www.beyondbrooke.org; and www.beyondguardianship.org Contact: Philip Marshall, philipcmarshall@gmail.com; (508) 951-8562
Inspired by the legacy of New York philanthropist Brooke Astor, BeyondBrooke.org is a cause-driven initiative to advance elder justice and reformadult guardianship systems. Led by her grandson, advocate Philip C. Marshall, the campaign mobilizes research, policy, and public engagement to protect the rights, dignity, and assets of older adults.
Citizens for Clean Courts USA
Website: https://www.c4ccusa.org/ Contact: Sherry Lund, scwl@cox.net, (602) 363-6615
Our mission at C4CCUSA is to empower citizens through education and advocacy by upholding constitutional rights and promoting judicial transparency. We strive to protect the integrity of the U.S. legal system, ensuring fairness and justice for all, with a focus on reforming all courts, especially family, juvenile, probate courts and safeguarding individual freedoms.