ARDC AUDIT RESULTS
According to a thorough audit conducted by our Probate Sharks expert team, the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois (ARDC) does not appear to be doing its job when it comes to investigating the Corrupt Cook County Probate Court Cases.
Per the ARDC website: The ARDC's principal purpose is to assist the Supreme Court to determine a lawyer's fitness to practice law in Illinois. If a complaint is made that an attorney, licensed to practice law in Illinois, has engaged in illegal, unethical or dishonest conduct, the ARDC will investigate and, if warranted, bring formal disciplinary charges. The Supreme Court of Illinois will then ultimately decide if a lawyer should be censured (publicly rebuked), suspended (having the law license to practice either taken away for a certain period of time or placed on a probationary period) or disbarred (having the law license taken away indefinitely).
Probate Sharks has received numerous complaints from victims of the Corrupt Cook County Probate Courts who have filed complaints with the ARDC against the unethical lawyers on their cases. ALL of these people have told us the same thing: Despite written proof that violations were committed by the lawyers on their cases, the ARDC failed to bring the case to hearing.
Examples of the attorneys' rules violations include: 1) failing to act with reasonable diligence and promptness in representing a client; 2) failing to keep a client reasonably informed about the status of a matter or to promptly comply with reasonable requests for information; 3) failing to abide by the client's objectives concerning representation; 4) failing to deliver to the client all papers and documents to which the client is entitled; engaging in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice; and 5) engaging in conduct which tends to defeat the administration of justice or bring the courts or the legal profession into disrepute. Additionally, victims have reported that lawyers on their cases have falsified evidence, committed perjury, falsified wills, illegally changed Powers of Attorney, failed to report criminal activity, exploited funds, failed to provide accountings, and have participated in other criminal activity on their cases. In many of these cases, the attorneys for both sides appeared to be working in a collusive manner to exploit the estates of the elderly disabled wards.
Despite written documentation (court transcripts, court orders, emails, petitions for fees, proof of falsified documents,etc), the victims of Cook County Probate Court have told Probate Sharks that their case does not get brought to hearing by the Supreme Court of Illinois. This concerns the volunteers at Probate Sharks a great deal. BILLIONS of dollars go through the Cook County Probate Court on an annual basis. However, NONE of the victims who have come to us have had their complaints brought to a hearing by the Supreme Court.
Upon hearing this, Probate Sharks elicited the help of expert auditors and statisticians to see whether or not the Illinos Supreme Court is investigating Cook County Probate Court complaints with the same diligence that they apply to complaints originating in the other courts in Illinois.
The auditors' results are quite alarming: For a one year period (September, 2009 thru September, 2010), the Illinois Supreme Court conducted 226 hearings which resulted in decisions against unethical lawyers. However, less than 1%, (only 2 of the 226 hearings) involved Cook County Probate Court Players.
Appallingly, the victims who have contacted Probate Sharks all share the same story: they claim that their cases involved unethical lawyers and judges who financially exploited their loved ones, and violated the same rules that unethical lawyers in the other Circuit Courts have been disciplined for. However, they were ALL told by the Chicago-based lawyers conducting the initial review at the ARDC that the ARDC found no wrong doing, and a hearing would not be conducted.
It appears as though the corrupt Cook County Probate players have immunity from ARDC hearings in the IL Supreme Court. Complaints against the Cook County Probate lawyers do not get past the front desks in the Chicago office of the ARDC (where the Cook County ARDC complaints are to be filed). When these complaints don't get past the front desks of these Chicago-roots attorneys, well.....they never make it to a Supreme court hearing or decision...
We at ProbateSharks find it quite odd that less than 1% of cases against lawyers that are heard by the IL Supreme Court originate in Cook County Probate Court...odd because that is where the money is. Billions of dollars are in the hands of the Cook County Probate lawyers and judges.....and these lawyers appear, from our statistical analysis, to be immune from investigation. The estates of the elderly disabled wards in Cook County are being exploited by the court system, primarily because the probate judges and the ARDC allow the illegal actions of the unethical attorneys it to occur.
The collusion and corruption appears to be entrenched throughout the Cook County Probate Courts, and appears to extend to the ARDC of the IL Supreme Court.
If you experience a similar experience with the ARDC, please contact us. We also advise you to report the lawyer at the ARDC who screens your case to... the ARDC. Send your complaint via certified mail (return receipt requested) to both the Chicago and Springfield offices.
You may file your complaint against the unethical attorneys on your case, and against any unethical attorneys with the ARDC to:
Despite the ARDC instrucions to send your complaint to the Chicago office, we advise you send it to both the Chicago and Springfield offices.
As always, we at ProbateSharks invite the media and law enforcement to investigate the Corruption occurring in the Cook County Probate Courts. We would also like to recommend that you include the ARDC in your investigation.
Signed,
Your Probate Sharks Auditing Task Force Team
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