Elderly Woman Prompts Guardianship Reform After Spending $100,000 to Prove Her Competence

Sophie Paulos, 91, spent three months and $100,000 trying toprotect her independence.

The process began when two of her daughters suspected thethird daughter of taking advantage of Paulos while her health wasdeteriorating.  After an investigation bythe Adult Protective Services, Paulos had to pay $30,000 for a court-appointed guardianad litem she never wanted.  She thenhired her own attorney to fight the guardianship process and paid over $70,000for this second lawyer and related legal expenses.

These outrageous costs have prompted proposed measures toreform the guardianship system such as shortening time periods for which tohold hearings and forcing those that initiate guardianship proceedings to signaffadavits.  Although these measures havegained support from organizations like AARP, judges and lawyers across Texassee any changes to the current system as unnecessary roadblocks.

See Andrea Ball, Woman’s Costly Court Battle Prompts Call for Reform of GuardianshipSystem, Austin American-Statesman, May 12, 2013.