The daughter of actor Peter Falk, known for his role in Columbo, is waging a campaign to give children the ability to visit an elderly or incapacitated parent who is being cared for by someone else. Catherine Falk says that when her father was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease her stepmother restricted her access from him and even banned her from the funeral when he died in 2011. When she contested her step mother in court she “learned that California law favors spouses in family disputes over probate, power of attorney and conservatorship, and that she would have to legally challenge her stepmother’s designation as conservator.” She is promoting a state by state effort to pass the Peter Falk Bill, which has already been introduced by lawmakers in California and New York. Falk would also like to see the Federal Government pass similar legislation.
See Sean Piccoli, Peter Falk’s Daughter: Rights Bills Sparked By Dad’s Case, Newsmax, May 14, 2015.
Special thanks to Brian Cohan (Attorney at Law, Law Offices of Brian J. Cohan, P.C.) for bringing this article to my attention.
