Governor Jerry Brown recently vetoed Senate Bill 156. Thebill was drafted to stop conservators and their attorneys from charging thedisabled and elderly too much to oversee their care. The bill was introduced bySenator Jim Beall who drafted the bill after learning about a Californiaprobate court that has elderly and disabled residents pay for the entire legalbattle when they contest charges for being excessive. Governor Brown did nothave an issue with the bill, but one did not approve of the amendment thatlimited the judge’s power to award legal fees in some cases. In his vetoexplanation Brown wrote, “I believe that judges exercise their discretionunder existing law governing compensation for defense costs in a fair andbalanced way.” Beall considered the veto a major setback.
See Josh Richman, Brown Vetoes Bill to Halt Probate ‘Fee on Fee’ Gouging, Contra Costa Times, Sep. 25, 2013.
Special thanks to Brian Cohan (Attorney at Law, Law Offices of Brian J. Cohan, P.C.) for bringing this article to my attention.
