More Conservatorship Problems

Eli Schutts is a retired philosophy professor at Western Connecticut State University. He was placed in a temporary conservatorship that recently expired on August 12, 2012. Today, August 27, 2012, his conservator, Lorraine Seely, is set to seek a permanent conservatorship. Schutts was placed in a temporary conservatorship when he developed pneumonia during his stay at the Kent Speciality Care Center. His health was in such bad shape that a judge thought that he needed a conservator in accordance with Connecticut law. 

Schutts’ partner, Ms. Edith Johnson, would like to contest Seely’s motion for a permanent conservatorship, but this will likely be a difficult fight. The source of Johnson’s struggles stem from the fact that she is not a family member of Schutts. Following his placement in the temporary conservatorship, Johnson tried to get a power of attorney. However, the courts refused to grant Johnson the power of attorney because the court was afraid that Schutts did not have the capacity to sign the power of attorney. 

See Jack Coraggio & Andy Thibault, Stage is Set for Monday Probate Hearing to Determine Next Step in Contested Case of Retired WestConn Professor Eli Schutts, Litchfield Country Times, Aug. 26, 2012.

Special thanks to Jim Hillhouse (Professional Legal Marketing (PLM, Inc.)) for bringing this article to my attention.