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A Chicago attorney who writes a blog highlighting what she describes as Illinois' corrupt probate system faces an ethics complaint.
The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission filed the complaint against Joanne Denison, a patent and trademark attorney at Denison & Associates. The complaint, brought on January 8, asserts that Denison is undermining the administration of justice and denigrating the legal profession through her blog posts.
Denison's posts describe the "sleazy world of probate" and the "garden variety theft, embezzlement, malpractice and malfeasance by attorneys and the court." The blog, according to the complaint, identifies by name and initials court-appointed guardians and describes them as "tortfeasors." The complaint was first reported by Legal Profession blog.
Denison said in a telephone interview that she has no plans to take down her blog. "Why would I shut up when there's corruption going on in the courts?" she said.
Denison started the blog, marygsykes.com, after a Cook County, Ill., Circuit Court judge refused to allow her to serve as a guardian for Mary Sykes, according to the complaint.
The court determined that she had notarized the signatures of Sykes and Sykes' daughter on a document bestowing a benefit to the daughter at a time when Sykes might have suffered from dementia, according to the complaint. Sykes' daughter was Denison's client.
The ethics commission, noting that the blog is publicly accessible, described Denison's comments as false or made with reckless disregard for the truth. The commission alleged that Denison has violated four attorney disciplinary rules and it called for a hearing on the matter.
Representing the administrator of the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission is Lea Black. She did not return a phone call seeking comment.
Contact Leigh Jones at ljones@alm.com.
The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission filed the complaint against Joanne Denison, a patent and trademark attorney at Denison & Associates. The complaint, brought on January 8, asserts that Denison is undermining the administration of justice and denigrating the legal profession through her blog posts.
Denison's posts describe the "sleazy world of probate" and the "garden variety theft, embezzlement, malpractice and malfeasance by attorneys and the court." The blog, according to the complaint, identifies by name and initials court-appointed guardians and describes them as "tortfeasors." The complaint was first reported by Legal Profession blog.
Denison said in a telephone interview that she has no plans to take down her blog. "Why would I shut up when there's corruption going on in the courts?" she said.
Denison started the blog, marygsykes.com, after a Cook County, Ill., Circuit Court judge refused to allow her to serve as a guardian for Mary Sykes, according to the complaint.
The court determined that she had notarized the signatures of Sykes and Sykes' daughter on a document bestowing a benefit to the daughter at a time when Sykes might have suffered from dementia, according to the complaint. Sykes' daughter was Denison's client.
The ethics commission, noting that the blog is publicly accessible, described Denison's comments as false or made with reckless disregard for the truth. The commission alleged that Denison has violated four attorney disciplinary rules and it called for a hearing on the matter.
Representing the administrator of the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission is Lea Black. She did not return a phone call seeking comment.
Contact Leigh Jones at ljones@alm.com.
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- NoMoreMarxistsInDCSo what else is new. We have a corrupt probate racketeering practice in Passaic County, NJ Superior Court Chancery Division. Just ask anyone who's had wealthy parents go through the Chancery Court there. There are a group of attorneys, along with the Judge, who are acting in concert with each other to strip the assets of the estate by taking power of attorney over the parent and then wiping out the proceeds. I've talked to people that saw the attorneys take over $500,000 in "legal fees" in under 6 months.
The probate stories coming out of Passaic County remind me of the days of Gov. Christine Whitman who was told during her second campaign to stay away from Passaic County, or the "dirt might rub off".
- joanne denison--respondent in the complaintThe ARDC has no right to monitor, regulate or censor attorneys complaining about corruption in the Illinois court system, and more specifically the Probate Court where many seniors are being deprived of life, liberty, civil rights and human rights by being dumped into nursing homes, their paid for homes and bank accounts drained by forced nursing home fees, guardian ad litem fees, plenary guardian fees, which can run tens of thousands of dollars per year or more for atty fees. It starts with the nursing home fees.
Someone has to stop all of this. Attorneys need to speak out where the seniors and infirm cannot.
The stories I have heard are horrendous in nature and cannot be ignored. Please write, call and fax the Illinois ARDC and tell them that seniors and the infirm have rights, their stories of corruption and probate abuse can no longer be ignored, and attorneys that speak out and run blogs CANNOT AND MUST NOT BE CENSORED.
The ARDC has no constitutional right to monitor my speech calling for investigations. Period. The GAL's and attorneys for guardians and OPG's and even judges have to start respecting everyone's constitutional rights in this regard. Grandma and grandpa should be treated better than all of this. Ill. ARDC Director: Mr. Jerome Larkin, One prudential Plaza, Chicago, IL 60601, tfx 312-565-2320. These cases MUST be investigated in a fair and competent manner. Thank you.
- Kendikowskky@yahoo.comThe situation that Ms. Denison is bloging is a National Disgrace as well as a new cottage industry - elder abuse and financial exploitation of the elderly. The focus is on the Sykes case pending in the Circuit Court. 755 ILCS 5/11a -10 codifies the due process protection - this is jurisdictional! In the Sykes case it was ignored and for over 3 years Sykes has been deprived of her liberty and property.
Heaven and earth have been moved as part of the alleged 'coverup'. The ARDC has unilaterally over-ruled Ny Times v sullivan,376 US 254, Citizens United 558 US 310, Snyder 131 S. CT 1207, Alvarez 132 S. Ct 2537, AShcrof 542 US 656, Zauderer 471 US 626.
Democracy is not a spectator sport - we need law enforcement to do an honest, complete, and comprehensive investigation what has happened to Denison as well as the underlying Sykes and similar cases.
- GyiRule 8.3(a) A lawyer who knows that another lawyer has committed a violation of Rule 8.4(b) or Rule 8.4(c) shall inform the appropriate professional authority.
- James J. Marlowe II, Esq.Corruption? In the Chicago Court system? Get outta Dodge!
Every attorney-first as a citizen and second as an attorney- has a right and obligation to turn a searchlight on venal conduct in the legal system.
Official attempts to stifle the ferreting out of dishonesty are as insidious as the prohibited conduct itself.
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