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Publications and Activities 2014 - 2015 Back to 2014 -
2020 (Click
here) November 30, 2015 Follow Up Letter to Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court Spectrum Institute sent a letter today to the Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court in her capacity as the judicial officer presiding over a court that supervises the State Bar of California. The letter is a request to the court to modify polices and practices under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and to offer accommodations under the ADA, to ensure that respondents in limited conservatorship proceedings receive access to justice.
October 26, 2015 Essay about and Letter to the California Supreme Court Spectrum Institute sent a letter today to the California Supreme Court in its capacity as a government entity that oversees the State Bar of California. The letter had two requests: (1) for the court to suggest to the State Bar that it convene a Task Force on Access to Justice in Limited Conservatorship Proceedings; and (2) monitor the actions of the State Bar in response to our request that it conduct audits of the Mandatory PVP Trainings conducted for the past several years by the Los Angeles County Bar Association. Click here to read the letter.
An essay has been written about the jurisdiction of the
California Supreme Court to ensure that court-appointed attorneys are
providing access to justice for litigants with developmental disabilities in
limited conservatorship cases.
Click here to read the essay. October 25, 2015 Essay on Mandatory Appointment of Counsel in Guardianship Cases A federal court decision indicates that the appointment of counsel for litigants with developmental disabilities is required in some cases by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Although the case arose in the context of INS removal proceedings, the rationale would apply to adult guardianship cases where liberty interests are in jeopardy. Click here to read the essay.
Complaint to State Bar of California Spectrum Institute filed a complaint today with the State Bar of California. The State Bar is a public corporation within the judicial branch of government, serving as an arm of the California Supreme Court. All attorneys who are members of the State Bar are officers of the court. The complaint asks the State Bar to audit a training program operated by the Los Angeles County Bar Association. The program is supposed to educate court-appointed attorneys who represent clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities in limited conservatorship proceedings. Our own audits of the seminars and training materials have documented serious deficiencies with the seminars. Important topics have been omitted. Misinformation has been given by some presenters. Attorneys do not receive the trainings they need to effectively represent clients with special needs. The complaint also asks the State Bar, as a public entity with responsibilities under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, to intervene so that systemic deficiencies in the training programs are corrected. Click here to read the letter to the Executive Director of the State Bar of California.
October 20, 2015 Letter to California State Council on Developmental Disabilities
October 19, 2015 Letter to Court-Appointed PVP Attorneys in Los Angeles Spectrum Institute sent a letter today to 198 attorneys who represent respondents in limited conservatorship cases. The attorneys are members of a Probate Volunteer Panel and therefore are known as PVP attorneys. Although they volunteer to be on the panel, their fees are paid by the County of Los Angeles. The letter informs the attorneys of the complaint we filed with the United States Department of Justice regarding the PVP legal serviced program. Click here to read the letter. Click here to read the cover note of the material sent to the Chief Justice of California.
October 1, 2015
White Paper Sent to Justice Department with New ADA
Standards
A White Paper on the subject will help the DOJ as it investigates and settles complaints filed against state courts that are not fulfilling their duty to ensure that such litigants have meaningful access to justice. For more information about the landmark White Paper and supporting documents, click here. The White Paper is being released only days following the issuance of an order of a federal judge approving a settlement between the ACLU and the Department of Justice. The settlement is based on a previous order by the judge that Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requires the appointment of attorneys to represent persons with intellectual and disabilities who are facing an immigration deportation hearing. The court found it obvious that the persons lacked the ability to represent themselves and therefore a "qualified representative" must be appointed to ensure they have meaningful participation in the proceeding. The White Paper uses the same rationale for guardianship proceedings in state court. Furthermore, the representative cannot be "qualified" unless they have adequate training to represent clients with special needs.
August 18, 2015 New Research Shows ADA Violations by Los Angeles Court A new exhibit was filed yesterday with the U.S. Department of Justice showing a pattern of ADA violations by attorneys appointed by the Los Angeles Superior Court to represent adults with developmental disabilities in limited conservatorship cases. The exhibit offers new and additional evidence showing violations by the court of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Spectrum Institute filed a class-action complaint with the DOJ on June 26, 2015. The complaint places responsibility on the court for violations of Title II of the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It was supported by several exhibits (500+) pages including factual information and legal arguments developed over the course of 18 months by the nonprofit education and advocacy organization. The new exhibit reflects additional research conducted after the complaint was filed. Two samples of limited conservatorship cases, including documents filed with the court, were reviewed to examine the practices of attorneys who represented proposed limited conservatees in fiscal year 2012-2013. Some 18 cases of one attorney were reviewed, regardless of which judge heard the cases. Another 25 cases were examined, involving six other attorneys, all of whom appeared in front of the same judge. The exhibit discusses the patterns that were observed regarding the practices of Attorney X and the practices of various attorneys in Courtroom X. Both samples showed a clear pattern of attorneys routinely waiving mandatory procedural protections. They also showed a pattern of attorneys failing to take advantage of investigative options that would have enhanced the likelihood of a just result. Instead of modifying policies and practices to increase the prospect of clients with developmental disabilities having access to justice, the exact opposite occurred. Available legal tools and procedures were ignored by the attorneys. The complaint alleges, and the exhibits show, that the court itself is responsible for these ADA violations since it is the court that operates the legal services program known as the Probate Volunteer Panel. Click here to read an op-ed article discussing the new research. It was published by the Los Angeles Daily Journal on August 17, 2015. Click here to read the 90-age "Efficiency vs. Justice" exhibit to the class-action complaint.
For more information
about the class-action complaint,
click here. August 16, 2015 Sacramento Bee Column on Voting Rights Dan Morain wrote a
column in today's Sacramento Bee about voting rights for people with
disabilities who are in conservatorships. He mentioned Spectrum
Institute and promoted the passage of SB 589 which comes up this week for a
final vote on the Assembly floor. The Assembly
floor analysis focuses heavily on the work of Spectrum Institute, both
the research we did showing how voting rights were being stripped from
conservatees in Los Angeles, and our complaint with the Department of
Justice alleging that California law is invalid because it conflicts with
federal voting rights laws. June 26, 2015 New Complaints Filed Today with U.S. Department of Justice
The complaints filed today focus on violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by the Los Angeles Superior Court. At issue are the policies and practices of the court in connection with a legal services program that it operates for people with developmental disabilities who are involved in conservatorship proceedings. A class-action complaint alleges that the court has allowed, and even encouraged, court-appointed attorneys to violate the rights of conservatees by allowing them to engage in practices that deny their clients access to justice and that deprive them of meaningful participation in their own cases. In addition to the class-action complaint, a second complaint alleges that the attorney who represented Gregory Demer in his limited conservatorship case engaged in numerous practices that violated the ADA, with the approval or assent of the superior court. For more information about both of these DOJ complaints, click here. To read an op-ed about these complaints published in the Daily Journal, California's largest legal news provider, click here. For a news story about the class action, click here.
Voting Rights Restoration Project Launched
June 10, 2015 Los Angeles Times Editorial: "Voting Rights Restoration Needed" Apparently moved by the experience of Stephen Lopate and the story about the Department of Justice investigation into voting rights violations by the California judiciary, the editorial board of the Los Angeles Times published an editorial today calling for the restoration of voting rights of thousands of people with developmental disabilities. The DOJ investigation is based on a complaint filed by Spectrum Institute on July 10, 2014. The editorial gives a boost to our voting rights restoration project -- an activity that will get high visibility later this month. To read the editorial, click here.
June 9, 2015 Complaint of ADA Noncompliance Filed with Los Angeles County Spectrum Institute filed a complaint today with the ADA Compliance Officer of the County of Los Angeles. The complaint alleges that the county is violating the ADA by funding a legal services program that routinely and systematically has been violating the ADA rights of people with developmental disabilities. The attorneys are appointed by state court judges but they are paid by county funds. The complaint alleges that as a recipient of federal funds, the county has a duty under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the ADA, to make sure that it is not funding a program that violates the ADA. For more information, click here.
June 1, 2015 Letter to Presiding Judge: "Restore the Voting Rights of Thousands" Spectrum Institute sent a letter today to the Presiding Judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court asking the superior court to take pro-active measures to restore the voting rights of thousands of county residents who had them taken away in violation of federal law. For a copy of the letter, click here.
May 18, 2015 DOJ to investigate voting rights violations in California On Friday, May 15, Thomas F. Coleman received a phone call from a staff attorney at the offices of the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. He was informed that a letter of inquiry had been sent in the postal mail to the Judicial Council of California notifying them that the DOJ was investigating allegations of voting rights violations by the judicial system. The investigation was prompted by a complaint filed on July 10, 2014, by the Disability and Abuse Project of Spectrum Institute. Although the complaint had specifically focused on systematic violations of voting rights of limited conservatees by the Los Angeles Superior Court, the DOJ decided to broaden the investigation to review judicial practices statewide. Spectrum Institute has issued a press release about the DOJ investigation. The Daily Journal, California's leading newspaper on legal news, published a short article about the investigation in today's paper.
May 18, 2015 Duties of Court-Appointed Attorneys -- Guidelines from the Bench Judge Maria Stratton did not mince words at a training program for court-appointed attorneys (PVP) who represent clients in conservatorship cases in the Los Angeles Superior Court. She told the audience of 150 or so attorneys what they may do and not do in their role as appointed counsel. To read Judge Stratton's remarks, click here. We will be reviewing a random sample of PVP reports from 2014 and will report our findings to the Judicial Council. Starting in October, we will start reviewing several PVP reports per month and will see how they compare to the guidelines mentioned above.
May 1, 2015 Proposals Sent to the Judicial Council of California
The report contains three proposals for changes to the Rules of Court and one proposal for a change in the Rules of Judicial Administration. The changes are intended to improve the education, qualifications, and performance of court-appointed attorneys who represent people with developmental disabilities in limited conservatorship cases. The
report is supported by a 200-page document containing 44 exhibits. The
report and exhibits are available
online.
April 29, 2015 Mailing to Court-Appointed Attorneys in Los Angeles Today we mailed a packet of information to attorneys who are appointed by the Probate Court to represent people with developmental disabilities in limited conservatorship cases. We are drawing their attention to a procedure that is available to them (but has not been used) to improve the quality of their advocacy and the outcome for their clients. The process involves an attorney requesting an Individual Program Plan review at the regional center. The IPP review would help assess the clients abilities or deficiencies with decision making in seven areas, including decisions as to residence, medical care, financial, education, social relationships, etc. We believe the use of this available resource is essential to effective advocacy. To see the packet, click here.
April 22, 2015 Voting Rights Bill Advances in California Senate Bill 589 was approved yesterday by the Senate Elections Committee in California. SB 589 adds additional protections for the voting rights of people with developmental disabilities in conservatorship proceedings. The voting rights complaint we filed with the Department of Justice last July is having a domino effect. First there was the passage of AB 1311 which was signed by the Governor last October. I am informed that judges have been more hesitant to take away voting rights of limited conservatees in view of that new law. Now there is SB 589. It replaces the “literacy test” under California law with a new standard for voting competency. If SB 589 is enacted, a judge would have to find by clear and convincing evidence that a conservatee cannot express a desire to participate in the voting process before a disqualification order can be granted. What a major change. The committee report credits our complaint with the DOJ for the passage of AB 1311 and as the impetus for SB 589. That is very gratifying to know. If SB 589 is enacted into law, its passage could make our complaint with the DOJ unnecessary and therefore moot. We will know more about the fate of this bill in the coming months.
New Article on Court-Appointed Attorneys in Los Angeles An essay was published today on the website about the need to reform the system of appointing attorneys to represent adults with developmental disabilities in limited conservatorship proceedings. The essay compliments Judge Maria Stratton, the new Presiding Judge of the Probate Court, for her leadership. Things are beginning to change. Much more needs to be done.
April 2, 2015 Letters Sent to Three California Judges Letters were sent today to three California judges in furtherance of our quest to reform California's limited conservatorship system. The letter to Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maria Stratton praises three of her recent actions and asks for a meeting to discuss a proposal to improve the local system. The letter to Court of Appeal Justice Harry Hull thanks him for his ongoing attention to our concerns and lets him know that we are following his suggestion to submit proposals to the Probate and Mental Health Advisory Committee. The letter to Judge John Sugiyama, chair of the advisory committee, asks the committee to support our proposal for a legislatively-created Task Force on Access to Justice in Limited Conservatorships.
March 26, 2015 Senate Testimony Confirms Dysfunction of System Although the hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee in California focused almost exclusively on seniors, we managed to redirect the spotlight for a few minutes to people with developmental disabilities. Disturbing testimony from a Los Angeles judge revealed facts that confirm our finding that the system is dysfunctional and needs to be audited. Court investigators must conduct nine home visits on the one day a week allocated for work in the field. And the court has lost track of thousands of adults who are under its protection. Read our summary of the hearing!
March 26, 2015 Open Letter to Commissioner of AIDD We sent an open letter today to Mr. Aaron Bishop, Commissioner of the federal Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. We asked him to send a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee of the California Legislature to support our request for a legislative Task Force on Access to Justice in Limited Conservatorships. We also asked him for suggestions on what other steps could be taken to promote the reform of this broken system in California.
Press Release Issued for New Report on Rights Violations Spectrum Institute issued a press release today to unveil a new report disclosing systematic violations of the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities by California judges. The report, and its key findings, will be presented on March 24, 2015 to the Judiciary Committee of the California Senate. (Press Release)
Oversight Hearing by Senate Judiciary Committee On March 24 Attorney Thomas F. Coleman is appearing on March 24 to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee of the California Legislature in Sacramento. The committee is holding an oversight hearing to inquire into the manner in which California courts are protecting vulnerable adults. Part of the hearing focuses on conservatorship proceedings. Mr. Coleman is presenting the committee with a report by Spectrum Institute issued after an intense year-long review of limited conservatorship policies and practices in California. The report's findings show that judges, court-appointed attorneys, court investigators, and regional centers are engaging in practices that are out of compliance with state and federal laws. The report recommends that the Legislature convene a Task Force on Access to Justice in Limited Conservatorships to review the findings of the Spectrum Institute study. It also proposes that the Legislature direct the Bureau of State Audits to conduct a survey of the practices of local courts in all 58 counties and that it perform an audit of the practices by the Los Angeles Superior Court in limited conservatorship proceedings. The report and exhibits to the report are available online. A
letter was sent to the Chair of the Committee today (March 20)
suggesting that the Committee may want to move Mr. Coleman's presentation
from the public comment portion of the meeting onto the official agenda of
scheduled speakers. If not, he will speak during the public comment
time slot. March 18, 2015 Letter to Nevada Legislators The Disability and Guardianship Project
sent a letter today to the Speaker of the Nevada State Assembly.
Copies were sent to other leaders in the Assembly and Senate. The
letter and attachments call their attention to our concerns about AB 128
-- a bill to create a simplified power of attorney form for us by adults
with intellectual disabilities.
A New Focus on Washington State The Disability and Guardianship Project
is partnering with parent-advocates Christina Baldwin and Michael Haseltine
to review policies and practices on the processing of guardianship cases in
Washington state involving adults with intellectual and developmental
disabilities. Activities of the Washington project will parallel what
we have been doing in California. The goals are to identify any
deficiencies that may exist in the system and to promote reform where
problem areas are found to exist. Administrative and case records will
be reviewed, participants in the system will be interviewed, and disability
services agencies and disability rights organizations will be consulted.
The initial focus will begin with Spokane County. For more
information,
click
here. March 12, 2015 Some Conservatorship Progress in Los Angeles Attorney Tom Coleman attended a seminar for attorneys who want to represent proposed conservatees in the Los Angeles Superior Court. A panel of four presenters spoke to the attorneys at a lunchtime event at the Biltmore Hotel. Of the 75 attorneys who attended, about 15 of them are already on the panel of attorneys from which the court makes the appointments to represent limited conservatees. One of the presenters was Maria Stratton, the new presiding judge of the Probate Division of the Superior Court. Judge Stratton make several statements that were refreshing -- some of which indicated that the work of the Disability and Guardianship Project is starting to create changes. A transcript containing relevant segments of the seminar is on the website. The limited conservatorship oceanliner is ever so slowly starting to change course.
March 8, 2015 Public Policy Conference in Sacramento Attorney Thomas F. Coleman is a presenter on a panel today at a policy conference sponsored by The Arc of California. Panel members will discuss guardianship reform and alternatives to guardianship. Materials being distributed to the audience include: Guardianship Reformers; Trauma Informed Politics; Informational Briefing on Limited Conservatorship Reform; Ten Statewide Concerns About Limited Conservatorships; Freedom of Association of Limited Conservatees. On March 9, representatives of Spectrum Institute will meet with Justice Harry Hull, Chair of the Rules Committee of the Judicial Council of California, to discuss the steps the judiciary should take to address the ten statewide concerns mentioned above.
March 5, 2015 New Model Bill on Medical Supported Decision Making Agreements New model legislation on medical supported decision making agreements is now available. The new model bill has the support of the Disability and Abuse Project and the Disability and Guardianship Project of Spectrum Institute since it incorporates the principles in our "Framework for Supported Decision Making Legislation." The concerns we raised to the original model bill do not apply to the revised model bill. We are very grateful to attorney Jonathan Martinis, legal director of the Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities, and his colleagues, for amending the model bill to address our concerns. We believe that the new bill is something that should be used by advocates to promote state legislation that advances the rights of people with disabilities in medical settings, whether that would be in doctor's offices, clinics, and hospitals or in their interactions with other medical professionals. To read more about our position on SDM as an alternative to guardianship, click here.
February 22, 2015 Analysis of AB 128 (Nevada bill on medical powers of attorney) Two separate analyses are being published by our projects about Assembly Bill 128, a proposal to authorize a new form to be used for medical powers of attorney for adults with intellectual disabilities. The bill is being heard on February 23 in the Assembly Judiciary Committee of the Nevada Legislature. An analysis by attorney Thomas F. Coleman raises legal concerns about the bill. We believe that AB 128, as currently written, poses a significant risk to the legal rights of and well-being of people with intellectual disabilities.
February 5, 2015 Article on Conservatorship Reform Published in Legal Newspaper A commentary by attorney Thomas F. Coleman was published today on the opinion page of the Daily Journal, California's largest legal news provider. The paper is read by judges, attorneys and politicians throughout the state. Titled "Reform Long Overdue for State Conservatorship Process," the op-ed article suggests that the Judicial Council of California -- the rule making body for the judiciary -- is putting the cart before the horse in its consideration of training programs for attorneys and judges who handle conservatorships for adults with developmental disabilities. Instead, Coleman says that a thorough review of the limited conservatorship system, with an analysis of costs for systemic and operational changes, should come first. Then, when state and local officials are ready to implement these changes, should come education and training of probate judges and court-appointed attorneys. To read the commentary, click here.
Request to Department of Developmental Services
Spectrum Institute has sent a
request to the Director
of the California Department of Developmental Services asking that DDS amend
regulations on client's rights to clarify that the freedom of association of
clients is protected. Clients have the right to associate with, or
decline to associated with, specific persons. The regulations mention
a "right to social interaction" but this needs to be clarified with greater
specificity. The First Amendment rights of Regional Center clients,
especially those who are placed under a conservatorship order, are being
violated. Amending the regulation on social interaction may decrease
the risk of violations of the freedom of association of limited conservatees.
We encourage people to email the Director, via the Deputy Director
Nancy Bargmann, to support this request. January 21, 2015 Communications with the Judicial Council
After sending letters to the Chief Justice of California,
and after meeting with the Probate and Mental Health Advisory Committee to
the Judicial Council of California, we finally received an official response
to our list of concerns with the Limited Conservatorship System.
Justice Harry Hull wrote to us on behalf of the Judicial Council. We
responded. We also sent a follow up email to the Chair of the Probate
Advisory Committee. To read this correspondence,
click here. January 7, 2015 Letter to the Presiding Judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court We sent a letter to the Presiding Judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court today, with a copy to the Presiding Judge of the Probate Division asking for a meeting to discuss problems with the processing of limited conservatorship cases and how to fix those problems. To read the letter, click here.
Special Report on Supported Decision Making
We have gathered a variety of materials we have published
on the subject of supported decision making and are publishing them in a single report, titled, 'Supported Decision
Making: A Critical Analysis." Click here
to access the report. December 27, 2014 Task Force Stimulates Changes in Indiana's Guardianship System The Arc of Indiana spearheaded the creation of a statewide Task Force to examine the adult guardianship system in that state. After nearly three years of study and analysis, the Task Force recommended several major improvements to that system. The judicial branch and the legislative branch cooperated and many of those changes are now being implemented. For more information about these reforms, click here.
Listen to audio of our presentation at the Judicial Council On November 14, 2014, members of the Disability and Abuse Project made a presentation in the conference room of the Judicial Council of California in support of our request for a Task Force on Limited Conservatorships. An audio recording of the presentation was sent to us and has been uploaded to this website. Click here to listen to the mp3 recording.
November 25, 2014 Letter Sent to the President of the State Bar of California A letter was sent today to Mr. Craig Holden, new President of the State Bar of California. The letter requests that the Board of Trustees convene a Task Force on Limited Conservatorships to investigate the practices of public defenders and court-appointed private attorneys who represent adults with developmental disabilities in limited conservatorship proceedings.
November 24, 2014 California Coalition Joins Call for Conservatorship Reform The Compassionate Care Coalition of California has issued a report focusing on the Limited Conservatorship System in California. Findings point to serious deficiencies in the system. The report recommends a thorough review of the system statewide with major reforms to all of its various components. The report cites our Justice Denied report and adds new information from a variety of informants. After reviewing the report, we issued a news release which was sent to the Daily Journal, the legal newspaper for California lawyers, judges, and lawmakers. We also distributed a summary of the report to the Chief Justice and to other officials.
November 17, 2014 A Successful Trip to San Francisco A few of us who are working on the Conservatorship Reform Project went to San Francisco last Friday for a meeting at the headquarters of the Judicial Council of California. The Judicial Council adopts rules that govern legal proceedings throughout the state, including proceedings involving limited conservatorships. A news story appeared today in the Daily Journal, a statewide legal newspaper read by judges, legislators, and attorneys. I followed up with a letter to the Chief Justice. I also sent an email to Judge John Sugiyama, Chairperson of the Probate and Mental Health Advisory Committee -- the committee to which we made our presentation. That email included a document titled "Ten Statewide Concerns About the Limited Conservatorship System." Prior to our meeting at the Judicial Council, our group spent some time at the Golden Gate Regional Center. Many thanks to the Executive Director and the staff for their hospitality. Also many thanks to Greg Byers, a filmmaker who came to San Francisco to video our activities for a documentary he is working on about the Limited Conservatorship Reform Project. Other documents submitted to the Committee can be found on the Judicial Council page of our website.
July 22, 2014 A Review of "Model Legislation" on Supported Medical Decision Making We have reviewed "model legislation" being proposed for supported medical decision-making agreements and find that the proposed bill has serious defects. The proposal violates the first principle of medical ethics to "do no harm" because it would give immunity to medical care providers who engage in treatment without informed consent. We cannot support any proposal that dispenses with current legal and ethnical requirements of obtaining informed consent from a patient or his or her legally empowered surrogate before conducting medical procedures. To read our review of the legislation, and to access the proposed legislation, click here. To read additional reviews of it, click here.
July 16, 2014 News Segment on Arise America Arise America, a division of Arise TV, carried a segment on voting rights for people with developmental disabilities on their news show on Friday, July 11, 2014. The segment was just uploaded to You Tube today. Click here to watch the segment.
July 10, 2014 Voting Rights Complaint Filed The Disability and Abuse Project filed a complaint today with the United States Department of Justice asking for intervention to stop the violation of the voting rights of people with developmental disabilities in California. The complaint explains that limited conservatees are having their voting rights taken away in violation of federal laws prohibiting states from using literacy tests and laws requiring states to allow people with disabilities to have assistance in the voting process. The Los Angeles Superior Court is named as the violating party. For more information, click here. Read the news stories about the complaint.
Letter to the Department of Developmental Services Today Spectrum Institute
sent a letter to the Santi Rogers,
Director of the California Department of Developmental Services, along with
a copy of our report, Justice Denied. The letter asks for a
meeting with him to discuss ways to create a role for the department in
oversight or auditing of the Limited Conservatorship System. May 23, 2014 Letter to the California Attorney General Today Spectrum Institute
sent a letter to the Kamala
Harris, Attorney General of California, along with a copy of our report,
Justice Denied. The letter asks the Attorney General to meet with
us to discuss the deficiencies in the Limited Conservatorship System and how
they can be corrected. Letter to the Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court Today Spectrum Institute sent a letter to Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye in her capacity as Chairperson of the Judicial Council of the State of California. The letter transmitted our report, Justice Denied, and asked the Judicial Council to convene a Task Force on Limited Conservatorships to investigate the policies and practices within that system on a statewide basis. Update (May 30, 2014): We received a response from the Judicial Council that our proposal has been reviewed by Justice Harry Hull and that he has referred our report and the proposal to the Probate and Mental Health Advisory Committee for a recommendation.
Letter to the Los Angeles County Superior Court Today Spectrum Institute sent a letter to Judge Michael Levanas, Presiding Judge of the Probate Division of the Los Angeles County Superior Court. The letter transmitted our report, Justice Denied, and offered to meet with him to discuss ways to improve the Limited Conservatorship System operated by the court. Update (June 5, 2014): Judge Levanas acknowledged receiving the report as well as an invitation for the head of Probate Investigations to attend the Voting Rights Conference. He said that he passed the invitation and the report on to the her.
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Spectrum Institute sent a letter today to the Executive
Director of the California State Council on Developmental Disabilities.
Along with the letter we sent him 30 brochures about the White Paper to
distribute to council members and council staff. The White Paper is a
tool that disability rights advocacy organizations can use to press for
guardianship and conservatorship reform as well as implementation of
supported decision making as a less restrictive alternative to guardianship
or conservatorship.
Spectrum Institute
held a press conference today in front of the federal courthouse in downtown
Los Angeles to announce that two new complaints were being filed with the
United States Department of Justice against the Los Angeles Superior Court.
The location of the press conference us the same site where the group
announced a voting rights complaint against the court on July 10, 2014.
A few weeks ago, the DOJ announced a formal investigation of the California
judiciary based on that complaint.%20(800x518).jpg)
Gregory Demer lost his
right to vote when he was improperly disqualified bby a judge who used a
literacy test to determine Gregory's capacity -- a test that violates
federal law. It is now 10 year later, and Gregory wrote a note saying "I want to vote"
and asked attorney Thomas F. Coleman to help him. Coleman has advised
the Presiding Judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court that
Gregory is one of thousands who lost the right to vote through improper
actions of local judges and court-appointed attorneys. The Arc of
California is joining Spectrum Institute in launching a Voting Rights
Restoration Project to encourage other people with disabilities to step
forward to demand that their voting rights be restored. Depicted in
the photo is Greg deGiere, public policy director for The Arc and United
Cerebral Palsy California Collaboration. For more information about this
project, 
The
Disability and Guardianship Project of Spectrum Institute sent a 50-page
report today to the Judicial Council of California.