Monday, June 11, 2012

From Kenneth Ditkowsky–thoughts on protecting grandma and grandpa


Posted on
From: kenneth ditkowsky
Sent: Jun 10, 2012 1:08 PM
To: GLD , ‘LUCIUS VERENUS’ , “Grant H. Goodman” , “ghgoodman@hotmail.com”
Subject: Re: National Forum On Judicial Accountability (NFOJA)
The predators who profit from their breaches of fiduciary relationship are protected by the fact that properly administrated, the guardianship laws are not only appropriate, but quite necessary.   The doctrine of parens patrie is solid and good law.   The Sterns, Farengas, Schmiedels and their co-conspirators could and do destroy our society and culture.    There is no easy fix to this problem  – there are however many ‘fixes’ that are worse than what we have currently.
Judicial and political corruption is a cancer.  It has to be addressed like any other cancer – quickly and effectively.   The treatment has to be focused and precise so that we do not kill the patient in the attempt to rid him/her of the disease.   The Good Lord helps those who help themselves – we have elections coming up – the political types who are unresponsive should be subjected to targeted campaigns to make them private citizens.   We should start with the Solons who are fighting to protect grandma’s social security check at the expense of grandma liberty, property, civil and human rights.    Where is the civil rights division of the Justice Department?    Where is our Governor, or Attorney General etc?     I do not think it is a priority to get Ms. Farenga, Mr. Stern, or Mr. Schmiedel grandma’s social security check!
Ken Ditkowsky
 
My comment: it appears to be much more serious than all of that.  While posturing to protect grandma, the miscreants go way beyond the social security check, but dig deeper into the pocket into the house, the savings, and safe deposit box, and/or encourage a guardian to do so with impunity and sans any meaningful investigation.  They rip grandma from a home of 50 plus years to accomplish these goals and isolate her.  When her written directives are to remain at home until she passes, and miscreants interfere with this, isolating her, that is about the most desperate, pathetic form of abuse there is.

From: GLD <gailwinds2hi@yahoo.com>
To: ‘kenneth ditkowsky’ <kenditkowsky@yahoo.com>; ‘LUCIUS VERENUS’ <verenusl@gmail.com>; Grant H. Goodman <goodmanconsult@gmail.com>; ghgoodman@hotmail.com
Sent: Sunday, June 10, 2012 12:41 PM
Subject: National Forum On Judicial Accountability (NFOJA)

I have been monitoring the group National Forum On Judicial Accountability (NFOJA) for some time now.  NFOJA appears to be a group of professionals as well as non-professionals bent on meaningful reform, transparency, and accountability of the judicial system that we all know is just as bent on retaining the power they use to line their pockets off the backs of the lifelong savings of their victims.
With regard to the blatant abuse of the Un-Constitutional State laws of guardianship, many have tried to encourage the fractured grassroots groups to solidify to present a stronger reckoning force.  However, the ideas regarding how to enact change vary so much, that a common mind seems impossible.
The members of the various groups benefit from a sympathetic ear, but no real help or solutions can be offered…because the powers that run the guardianship exploitation industry are so entrenched and powerful…destroying any and all that dare stand against them.
The fact is…we need help.  We need guidance.  We need people that have a plan and are working this plan steadfastly to enact change.  And I believe that NFOJA is a group of dedicated people that can provide this help and guidance.  Also our troubles with judicial exploitation of the guardianship laws are per State related issues as well as Federal issues of Constitutionality and NFOJA has organized itself by State and on the National level.  And NFOJA has partnered with other (sister) organization to enhance the effort.  
I encourage you to view the NFOJA Campaign 2012 where you will be presented with a 30 minute slide brief which introduces their plan of action.
Zena Denise Crenshaw is a very active advocate and I believe a founder of NFOJA.  You can find Zena and NFOJA on FB page and Google NFOJA and National Forum On Judicial Accountability to find the NFOJA homepage.
 
NFOJA Campaign 2012:
http://50states.ning.com/forum/topics/kickoff-of-nfojas-campaign
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Friday, June 8, 2012

From Ken Ditkowsky–more thoughts on corruption in Probate court


Posted on
From Ken Ditkowsky to myself:
Dear Joanne
Kickbacks are soooo common!   One of the e-mails that has the ARDC, Adam Stern, Cynthia Farenga et al up in arms is the one in which I suggest that the miscreants have paid the ‘kickback’ to the ‘clout’ in the form of a campaign contribution and the ‘clout’ would not or at least in not expected to return the contribution. [That would be a very good question.  Have they made campaign contributions to Connors/Stuart and if they did, is that illegal?  About 7 fed cir court cases say no (the law in the US is you can make a campaign contribution and the candidate can change a vote, refrain from taking action, take action, or take different action due to the contribution, and that is not "corruption".  I think it's at least an appearance of an impropriety for lawyers, but the court have held "no".  That's why the Blago conviction was soooo problematic. There has not been a decision like this before and that's why he was always saying "follow the money' meaning he took nothing personally.  Then they got that state law about campaign contributions, then the US Supremes said you can give all you want to a pol candidate and that is a first amendment right.]
[Did you ask for third party discovery against Stuart/Connor's campaign fund for a list of donations and in particular regarding all miscreants or everyone involved in the corrupt mess?] 
Thus, the guardian ad litem and the plenary guardian cannot at this point in time do what is expected of them – i.e. report the unusual spending of the plenary guardian, the ex-parte and illegal drilling of the safety deposit box and the non-inventory of a a million dollars in assets.   I knew that this would draw their ire, as it is most probably the current status of the Sykes case.
Follow the scenario – if the miscreants (the eyes and ears of the court) were to put on record the allegations made the Court would have to hold an inquiry.   Gloria Sykes has provided information on the subject as has Aunt Yolanda Bakken.    If called to testify I would also have testimony to contribute based upon my conversations with Mary.   At the very least there would have to be a referral to the States Attorney’s office for an investigation.   The SA would find that Gloria was a signatory on the box (and probably a joint owner) thus the drilling without her knowledge was suspect.    The State Attorney General and the IRs would also do some questioning as taxes are due – at this point in time almost a million dollars with interest and penalties.
To starve off the interest and penalties an excuse based upon the ***** (I am not going to give them a hint at a defense) the million dollars would have to be inventoried.   With the double eagles being inventoried it would have to be physically available for audit.    As the referral fee has most probably been paid to the clout (the referral fee is usually 1/3) someone has to come up with $333,000.00.   That would raise suspicion and in this pecuniary climate some hardship.    Once again – if Adam Stern, Cynthia Farenga, Peter Schmiedel et al have nothing to hide, let them join with me in calling for the States Attorney of Cook County to do a complete, honest, and comprehensive investigation of the Sykes case.    A professional investigation would determine if we are whistling Dixie, or have legitimate complaints! 
Thus, the flood of ARDC complaints and the attempt to silence us.    To shut Gloria up the Illegal seizure of her money, the eviction and theft of her papers and property etc.    To intimidate me, Ms. Black in her pleadings says I am a liar, but fails to disclose a single fact that she claims to be untrue.    When I asked her in Requests to Admit as to specific facts she wrote that the administrator does not have sufficient information to either admit or deny.    I have also requested that Ms. Black and the ARDC join with me in requesting a States Attorney investigation.
It is indeed interesting that this Texas corruption case should come to light and it should involve a Judge passing out guardianships etc, as well as a garden variety Greylord events.    It should be noted that this appears to be a Federal Prosecution.  Where is the State government?    Where is the investigation by local law enforcement?    Why has the local ARDC not acted against the miscreants?   (This pattern was also true in Greylord!)    Next time you see one of political types tell you that he/she is ‘fighting’ for the rights of the elderly – vote against him/her!    If he/she cared a ‘tinker’s damn’ about grandma he/she would be be screaming for an investigation of the Sykes case, the Tyler case, the Wyman case, the Gore case, etc.    Indeed, that would indicate that he/she is concerned the every day a senior citizen has been or is being wrongfully deprived of his/her liberty, property, civil rights, and/or human rights.     Like the Mary Sykes case the weapon is to isolate the senior from her family, her friends, her activities, and her neighbors.  Anyone who objects is the subject of official harassment.
Yes, Tiny Tim, this is 2012 America!   1936 has once again raised its ugly head and the ‘brown shirts’ wearing their new ‘shark skin’ suits are once against goose stepping ****
Ken Ditkowsky

—– Forwarded Message —–
From: GLD <gailwinds2hi@yahoo.com>
To: ‘kenneth ditkowsky’ <kenditkowsky@yahoo.com>; ‘probate sharks’ <verenusl@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 7, 2012 11:17 PM
Subject: EX JUDGE testifies in lawyers corruption trial OR How the wheels of predatory guardianship turn
http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/06/07/4016313/ex-judge-testifies-in-lawyers.html

Ex-judge testifies in lawyer’s corruption trial

Posted Thursday, Jun. 07, 2012Updated Thursday, Jun. 07, 20120 Comments PrintReprints
By CHRISTOPHER SHERMAN
A
By CHRISTOPHER SHERMAN
Associated Press
BROWNSVILLE, Texas — The former judge at the heart of a four-year federal investigation of judicial corruption told jurors on Thursday that he accepted kickbacks from several attorney friends, including the South Texas lawyer on trial.
Former state District Judge Abel Limas took the stand in Brownsville as a prosecution witness against Port Isabel lawyer Ray Marchan, the first of a dozen indicted in the case to go to trial.
Limas, the government’s featured witness, pleaded guilty last year to racketeering and is awaiting sentencing. Marchan faces seven counts, including racketeering and conspiracy.
The trial’s details may affirm the public’s worst fears about justice behind closed doors, where scales tipped in favor of money exchanges between lawyers and judges not evidence and procedure.
The intercepted conversations between Limas and Marchan played for the jury were profane, cynical chats between buddies about using the system to line their pockets. The amounts weren’t huge – about $11,000 from Marchan – but Limas testified that Marchan wasn’t the only one giving him money, and that, in total, he had taken more than $250,000 in bribes and kickbacks.
Limas 57, grew up in a rough Brownsville neighborhood and majored in criminal justice at the local university. He worked at the same police department as his dad for four years before going to law school, and said he had aspired to be a judge because it was prestigious and “only good people would get elected.”
In 2000, Limas was elected as a judge in Brownsville and served eight years on the bench. He said his judge’s salary brought in about $8,000 per month. Limas admitted that he liked to gamble, and estimated he made 30 trips to Las Vegas mostly to bet on boxing matches. He said he also had four kids in school and, by 2008, was more than $400,000 in debt.
Marchan, 55, was a respected civil litigator in Brownsville. He had attended Rice University and graduated from Stanford’s law school. In 2008, he was going through a divorce, and Limas said he had heard Marchan was headed for his third bankruptcy.
Limas had the authority to appoint guardians ad litem – lawyers to represent the interests of people – often children, in cases. In part because Marchan hosted campaign fundraisers for Limas, he appointed his friend to represent a child’s interest in a civil lawsuit in 2008.
“It’s a good amount most of the time when it’s a good case,” Limas told jurors. “It’s quick, easy money.” His closest attorney friends, like Marchan, kicked back some of that money, Limas said.
In addition to Marchan, Limas listed three others from memory who had kicked back money from such appointments. Only one, Joe Valle, has been charged in the investigation and sentenced.
The FBI opened its investigation of Limas in late 2007 and had wiretaps on Limas’ cell and home phones in 2008.
Prosecutors say the men decided to help each other make money. Marchan says he was just trying to help a friend.
Prosecutors also showed jurors photographs and copies of banking records they said corresponded with the alleged bribes and kickbacks.
Marchan’s lawyer, Noe Garza, emphasized Limas’ plea agreement with prosecutors that calls for him to cooperate in the case. He suggested Limas had to cooperate to keep his wife, an early target of the investigation, from being indicted. Limas said she was no longer a target.
Garza asked Limas to distinguish between lawyers who paid him kickbacks and bribes and those who loaned him money while he was a judge. On a large pad of paper beside the jury, Garza listed names for each.
Garza suggested Marchan was one of the friends providing loans.
He played a recorded call from June 2008. In it, Marchan asked Limas if he should make out the check as “a loan to your wife or a loan to somebody?”
Limas told jurors, “How to disguise it, that’s what he’s asking me.”
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Thursday, June 7, 2012

From Gloria--an important news article on the cost of corruption in Guardianships

Dear Readers;

Gloria sent this along today and I just wanted to thank her.

Since corrpution in Probate does not appear to be disappearing anytime soon, I will publish the entire article, it is of great importance and I do not want the link to break.

thanks

Joanne

PS--I have more great transcripts coming from the Sykes cases!

http://www.sonorannews.com/archives/2012/120606/frontpage-Thomas.html

is the link--

Andrew Thomas rolls out Citizens for Clean Courts

‘If they can do it to me, they can do it to anyone’
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andrew thomas and patt gomes
Former County Attorney Andrew Thomas, pictured with Patti Gomes, one of several victims of Arizona’s probate court system, held his first of a series of press conferences advocating support for Proposition 115, a constitutional amendment to bring accountability to our courts.

Photo by Linda Bentley


PHOENIX – Former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, on behalf of Citizens for Clean Courts, held the first of a series of press conferences on May 31 at the state capitol to advocate support of Proposition 115.

House Concurrent Resolution 1001 passed overwhelmingly with bipartisan support in the legislature to become Proposition 115 on the November ballot.

HCR 1001 proposes to amend various sections of Article VI of the Arizona Constitution relating to the judicial department.

While serving as county attorney, Thomas attempted to clean up corruption in the courts, only to find himself facing a force much larger than he imagined; one that eventually resulted in his being disbarred along with Deputy County Attorney Lisa Aubuchon and suspension of Deputy County Attorney Rachel Alexander’s license.

Just before the press conference began, Thomas said, “If they can do it to me, they can do it to anyone.”

Thomas began the press conference with the quote, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

The saying, while repeated by many, first arose as part of a quotation by John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, otherwise known as Lord Acton (1834–1902).

Acton, a historian and moralist, expressed this sentiment in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887, in which he wrote, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.”

Thomas introduced Patti Gomes, who said it was uncomfortable talking about her situation and initially thought hers was an isolated incident.

Gomes told the story of how her mother ended up in the probate court system and said, “The court failed my mother.”

She said, “If you have an estate, it is in jeopardy.”

Gomes stated the court ignored living trusts and living wills, while it denied her petition to become her mother’s conservator.

She said the court assigned a person to investigate who later turned guardian.

Gomes talked about “non-appearance hearings,” during which the court approved a multitude of payments, charging her mother’s estate.

When Gomes contested the court’s actions, she said the court used her mother’s money to defend its actions.

They charged her mother’s estate for numerous trips to the mall and the purchase of stuffed animals.

Gomes brought up the well-publicized cases of Maria Long, who has been left penniless by the probate court, and the case of a Disney heir, although declared competent, whom the court refused to release from its guardianship.

Stating she totally supports Proposition 115, Gomes emphasized how no one is safe with a living will and living trust under the current system.

She also encouraged victims to contact them via e-mail at citizens4clean courts@cox.net so they may become involved.
clair dipardo and andrew thomas
Clair DiPardo held up a picture of how her mother looked, healthy and vibrant, at the time the court took over her guardianship. She then held up a gruesome picture of a bedsore her mother suffered while under the court’s “protection.”

Photo by Linda Bentley
Thomas introduced Clair DiPardo, who said her mother was ripped from her home in Scottsdale, medicated and isolated, without a doctor ever declaring her incompetent.

While her mother is still alive, DiPardo said her mother has been victimized by the probate court, which placed her in a nursing home in Prescott where she knows no one and DiPardo is denied visitation.

She said the court went through over a half million dollars in a period of 12 months, mostly for duties such as opening her mother’s mail.

DiPardo held up a picture of her mother, looking healthy and vibrant, which is how she said her mother looked at the time the courts took over her care.

She then held up a gruesome photograph of a bedsore her mother suffered while under the court’s “protection.”

DiPardo said she was denied her rights as successor trustee, was chastised by the courts for talking to the media and endured “unimaginable experiences.”

She stated, “The standards of accountability should apply to all of our courts and judges. I’m here today to stop this from happening to you.”

Another concern DiPardo brought up was probate judges don’t know probate law and they look to the attorneys representing the state for guidance.

Thomas said this is a nationwide problem and while Proposition 115 will not fix all that is wrong with our judicial system, it is an important first step.

Proposition 115 will remove the state bar from the judicial recommendation process and will provide the governor eight nominees to choose from instead of three, along with the applications of the persons not being recommended.

Thomas said Proposition 115 will also require all the orders made by judges appearing on the ballot for retention to be posted online, so voters will have meaningful information with which to determine whether or not a judge is worthy of retaining.

DiPardo said the victims reached out to Thomas in this effort because he stood up to the system and he too paid the price.

However, Thomas said, “I don’t see myself as a victim. I see myself as a reformer. We got too close to the truth.”

He said, “The most powerful branch of the government is not accountable to the people.

This is the first step in taking our government back. We’ll be coming back next year with more reforms.”

Thomas said they would be actively campaigning to get Proposition 115 passed.
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Tuesday, June 5, 2012

From Kathy Bakken, some very good questions–why can’t she see Mary? Because she took the wrong side!


Posted on
No need to comment re: CF & KD, as JoAnne’s eloquent response more than covers it.  I would however like to add some thoughts & ramblings of my own this evening.
Having recently returned from a most enjoyable afternoon with 50+ relatives celebrating my cousin’s sons graduation, my heart is filled with love for my family. The compassion, concern, generosity of spirit and love for each other, warmed the cockles of my heart.  
In stark contrast I am faced with the isolation of my Aunt Mary (Mary Sykes) at the age of 93.  My crime as explained by her guardian is that I did not side with her (the guardian) during the proceedings.
How could I side with the person that my Aunt begged me to help her stop from taking over her life?
My punishment, is that I am not allowed to speak with or visit my Aunt.  Having not seen her since September of 2009, it saddens me deeply that one person has been able to cause so much pain and heartache, never considering her own mother’s wishes.  
The cruelty of keeping one’s own mother from the family she regularly had contact with is  unimaginable and makes one wonder as to why?
Oddly enough, both guardian ad litem seem to see nothing wrong with this behavior. I would have thought they would question or wonder as to why the guardian has isolated her own mother from her younger daughter (Gloria), her youngest sister (Yolanda), and many of her nieces and nephews.
How is it that the people who are supposed to look out for the wards best interests do not even question as to why the ward has been separated from the people she has loved the most?  While my Aunt objected in open court, neither GAL batted an eye.
Aunt Mary asked Judge Connor’s who was fooling who and for what.  
I couldn’t ask it better myself.
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Sunday, June 3, 2012

Compliments for Ken Ditkowsky, JD

Posted on
Dear Readers;
As we are all aware, Ken Ditkowsky has been the subject matter of numerous ARDC complaints from the GAL’s in the Sykes case despite the fact that US Supreme Court cases have consistently made it clear that everyone should be given the highest priority to free speech under the US constitution. I have been the subject of one, and while it has not gone anywhere in nearly 6 months now, I realize that from the get go, if I did not start to scream loudly, I would be next.  The writing was on the wall, that’s for sure.
The ARDC routinely ignores these rights by allowing complaints to be filed and then stand against attorneys.  I have searched Fastcase high and low and have not found another single case where an atty was disciplined for helping out a client on a blog.  I have found a few cases where the ARDC has required or requested disclaimers for overly laudatory atty blogs.  But nothing like what has happened in the Sykes case and the Illinois ARDC.
Apparently quite a number of you agree with KD and myself and believe that everyone–and I believe attorneys especially–have the duty and obligation to speak out against corruption, kangaroo courts and nepotism and cronyism.
Chicago has been voted the most corrupt region by a two to one margin, hands down.  Unless the general populace here demands more accountability from our court system, and apparently the Illinois ARDC, the level of corruption will continue as it has in the past.
Read the comments below and I and Ken want to thank all of you for realizing that when the attorneys are threatened for uncovering corruption and croynyism, the system has sunk to its deepest low and the general population better start protesting because, well, democracy is not a spectator sport.
Thanks to everyone who has complimented Ken.   He is fighting a pretty lonely fight.  I have tried to get dozens of other attys involved in this, but Ken and myself stand alone and stand resolute.
JoAnne
PS–has anyone else noted any other attys on any probate blog that are just there trying to hlep out others for free?  Plmk and I will put up their names on a page commending them for their hard work in the fight against court corruption.
Now, for comment’s on Ken’s writings:
From: kenneth ditkowsky
Sent: Jun 3, 2012 6:18 AM
To: nasga us
Subject: Re: NASGA Blog: “Attorney Ken Ditkowsky: The Constitution vs. Whores of Justice”
Thank everyone for their kind comments -  The next step is to transform the comments, good thoughts et al into action -   We are faced with an all out assault on the core of our democracy -  The First Amendment, the right to protest, and the right to speak out against even such august persons as Adam Stern, Cynthia Farenga et al must be preserved and nutured.    In America we cannot tolerate for even a moment the concept of senior citizens being legally deprived of their liberty, property, civil and human rights under the guise of protecting them.    The recent events in the Sykes case and similar cases demonstrate the Gulag mentality that has polluted the Courts and more seriously the legal profession.
This is an election year – maybe some of our elected representatives have the basic intelligence to understand the seriousness of the problem – if we keep writing them and telling them.    Those members of the political elite who are profiting from the Gulag will be resistent and promulgate harassment and prosecution of those who speak out – but, we do have a cadre of elected representatives who believe in America — maybe!
Yes, like the rest of us I am naive!   But, hope springs eternal
Ken Ditkowsky
From: nasga us <nasga.org@gmail.com>
To: Kenneth Ditkowsky <kenditkowsky@yahoo.com>
Sent: Saturday, June 2, 2012 9:57 PM
Subject: NASGA Blog: “Attorney Ken Ditkowsky: The Constitution vs. Whores of Justice”

Good Evening Mr. Ditkowsky,

Here are the comments posted today.  I expect more comments will show up Sunday.

NASGA Moderator 

Post a Comment On:National Association to Stop Guardian Abuse

1 – 6 of 6
AnonymousThelma said…
The problem lies also with the legislators. What percentage of them are lawyers? They can write stronger laws and force law enforcement to do their job. But why break up a good thing? Maybe they can get some of the action when they retire.
Saturday, June 02, 2012 3:43:00 AM
AnonymousBarbara said…
I always enjoy reading Mr. Ditkowsky’s comments! Thank you, NASGA.
Saturday, June 02, 2012 8:28:00 AM
AnonymousSue said…
This is what happens when a lawyer stands up for right vs wrong. I hope and pray this shining star attorney Ditkowsky prevails.
Saturday, June 02, 2012 11:35:00 AM
AnonymousDennis Andrew Ball said…
“The Only Thing EVIL Needs To Succeed IS That Good People Do NOTHING! – Edmund Burke (1789)
I implore each of US to take ACTION & demonstrate to the AUTHORITIES your resolve to see that JUSTICE IS SERVED on this EVIL~! That IS what this IS – EVIL! It now visits the United States through the
Children of World War 2, Boomer Nation! ALL OF US MUST BECOME POLITICALLY ACTIVE TO DEFEAT THIS SOCIAL
MENACE TO OUR SOCIETY & AFFIRM TO OUR CHILDREN THAT THIS EVIL WILL NOT IMPACT THEM WHEN THEY ARE OLD!
JOIN THE POLITICAL REVOLUTION TO RESTORE AND MAKE WHOLE OUR SOCIETY FOR THE NOW & FUTURE GENERATIONS!
BALL2012.net
Saturday, June 02, 2012 1:29:00 PM
AnonymousAnonymous said…
Thank you, KD, for your continued pursuit of justice on the 18th floor of the Daley Center. My loved was was victimized and made poor and destitute during her predatory guardianship proceedings on the 18th floor.What is occurring is collusive, criminal, exploitative, and sickening. All who see and do not speak out are guilty. We need whistleblowers with ethics, and whitstleblowers who just plain do not want to go down when the Greylord proceedings begin.
www.probatesharks.com
www.probateabusemanual.blogspot.com
Saturday, June 02, 2012 2:31:00 PM
AnonymousDebbie said…
Ken Ditkowsky is a man after my own heart! Thank you for being one of the rare good guys and for speaking up for those who have been silenced.
Saturday, June 02, 2012 5:57:00 PM
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Saturday, June 2, 2012

Interference with an Attorney taking notes in Court--from a purse pet


Posted on
From Ken Ditkowsky:
Thanks for your thoughts Ken, and I agree completely.  This is a practice that just has to stop.  While the courts routinely ignore cell phones, tablets and other laptop usages, they have ONLY seized my laptop and that was after a purse pet named Adam Stern whined about my blogging.
The incident in which Attorney JoAnne Denison had her laptop seized by a Sheriff’s deputy apparently upon the complaint of Guardian ad Litem Adam Stern that she might be blogging is not only a chilling event, but demonstrative of the wrongful delegation of authority that is evident in Probate Proceedings involving disabled persons.    First:  Why should Adam Stern be concerned about the exercise of First Amendment Rights by a person sitting in the courtroom?    Second: Why should anyone be concerned that a person keeping to themselves doing nothing disruptive or distracting might be ‘blogging.’    Third: why should Adam Stern have the power to prevent an attorney who is observing a public court proceeding from taking notes?
The problem in a ‘nut shell’ is the fact that there are people who act in a disproportionate manner when they are given authority.     The Chicago Police Department and other law enforcement agencies has psychological tests to weed out these people as their potential miscreant behavior can and does create a clear and present danger to the public  that they are to serve and protect.       As I’ve noted many times there are guardians and guardians’ ad litem who are perfectly proper in their behavior and very diligent and appropriate in the management and treatment of their wards.    However, as the September 2011 GAO reported noted there is a cadre of individuals who have and are taking unfair advantage of the elderly and other disabled persons who they are charged to act as fiduciaries toward.    These singled out individuals are subjected to forfeiture of their liberty, property, civil and human rights by the actions or lack of actions of the aforesaid fiduciaries.
It is unfortunate that this small cadre of court appointed individuals usurps the jurisdiction of the Court and as illustrated by the incident involving Attorney Denison’s laptop are able to abrogate the First Amendment and Article One of the Illinois Constitution.    All too often there is a delegation of the judicial authority to the misbehaving court appointed individuals and they become and speak for the Court rather than the judge.     This apparently is what has happened in the Sykes case and similar cases.
Before the Court and the Judicial System is further embarrassed by another ‘greylord’ scandal it is very necessary that a full and complete investigation commence and any misconduct on the part of the court appointed individuals be appropriately addressed.    In Sykes there is approximately a million dollars in un-inventoried property.    In Tyler it is Nine million dollars.   I understand that many law firms are closing their doors – it does not cover the legal profession with glory when the Courts and the Attorney regulators foster what amounts to legalized theft of ‘grandma’s assets’  and the evasion of the lawful United States of America income taxes due.
The seizure of the laptop is a symptom of the ‘cover-up’ of the corruption and delegation of the Court’s jurisdiction that the failure of law enforcement to conduct a full, honest and comprehensive investigation is fostering.     Mr. Stern and Ms. Farenga’s complaint to the ARDC concerning the call for an investigation and the ARDC’s prosecution of me for making the call is not one of the high points in American jurisprudence.      I reiterate my call for an investigation in the loudest voice that I can muster and call upon those citizens who believe that grandma’s liberty, property, civil and human rights are sacred to join with me in the call.
Ken Ditkowsky
www.ditkowskylawoffice.com
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Seizure of laptops for blogging–fax to presiding (head) judge Timothy Evans


Posted on
FAX TRANSMITTAL SHEET
To:
Judge Timothy Evans
Circuit Court Cook County
Fax: 312-603-5366
From:                      Admitted Ill., N.  Carolina and Patent Bars
JoAnne M. Denison,     Pat. Atty.  Reg.  No.  34,150
DENISON & ASSOCS., PC    FAX 312-553-1307
1512 N Fremont St, #202    CELL PH 773-255-7608
CHICAGO, IL 60642    PHONE 312-553-1300
JoAnne@DenisonLaw.com or www.DenisonLaw.com
Federal Patents, Trademarks & Copyrights
Important Notice
This facsimilie message contains attorney privileged and confidential information intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above.  If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copy of this communication is strictly prohibited.  If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by telephone, collect, and return the original message to the above address.  You will be reimbursed.  Your cooperation is immensely appreciated.
For transmission problems, please call 312-553-1300
A confirmation copy       WILL   ✔   will NOT be sent.
Pages in fax, including this coversheet – (   )
June 2, 2012
Re: Seizure of attorney laptops in Probate court
Dear Judge Evans;
It has come to my attention that there is a pressing crisis in your courtrooms and namely, that is the taking of laptops by court room personnel whenever it appears that someone is concerned about the proceeding in a courtroom.
This has happened to me twice.  And twice I told the bailiff that I was only taking notes and she told me that I might be “recording” and that is prohibited.
I went to the chief judge of Probate and she said that it does not matter that I was helping a client and was blogging, that it is security that determines the rules regarding laptops and security has determined there might be recording.
What?
Has no one been on ebay and seen that for $10 you can get a pen that records all day? Or a coke can or a number of innoculous devices that do this.  Everyone knows that security is brain cell challenged, but…..
However, the most pressing issue is the right to free and fair court rooms and in this manner, I believe the Chicago area is sorely lacking and no one trusts the courts or politicians any longer because were were recently voted the most corrupt region by a clear margin of 2 to  1!
Two to one!   One would think that an atty taking notes in a courtroom that is or maybe clearly biased would be applauded, but think again.
In this case the courtrooms are replete with attorneys and the public that text and email on cell phones all day long.  But it was only when Attorney Stern noted during a Dec. 21, 2012 hearing that I might be blogging that my laptop was actually confiscated by a court room bailiff and waived about as if it were a flag or something.
I had to actually tell the bailiff that when you waive around a laptop, it has a tiny pointing device that actually destroys sectors on a hard drive and to stop doing that or the laptop will be ruined.
Why are court room personnel confiscating laptops of attorneys when they clearly have no training to do so.  And further, it is an affront to myself and my clients because my laptops have all of my client communications going back to 1992.
Also, no one in the court considered the possibility that some of the documents on my laptop were subject to Protective Orders in Federal District courts and other federal tribunals.  Under those orders, once a 3rd party not subject to the Protective Order comes in possession of confidential documents inadvertent retention and disclosure is always of paramount concern, and yet I saw none of that in the court room that day.  Same for cell phones which can literally contain thousands of PDF documents.  If seizure of computerized note taking processing devices is to be the norm, who is securing the client and business data to protect US citizens and corporations.
And my profession is a patent attorney, so what about patent documents that have been deemed secret by the US government.  What of those?  No one seems to ask or be concerned.
Are they responsible if a crooked bailiff scams my hard drive in seconds?
I don’t understand where all this is coming from.
Court rooms are supposed to be public.  It is in everyone’s best interest we no longer have secret tribunals that let the courts do as they please.
Attorney documents and confidential client data and information should be inviolate.  The public should not have to fear providing their attorney with all the information she needs to protect her and promote the interests of her person and business.s
First amendment rights to free speech and the press reporting on the activities of a courtroom are supposed to be afforded the highest priority–a priority that even extends to fundamentalist Christian protestors at funerals of soldiers  that demand there is punishment coming from the heavens above for letting gays in the military.
But I can’t take laptop notes in a courtroom.  While others are busily texting and emailing away willy nilly.  Probably half the public and attys in a court room do this all day long.
Maybe no one likes blogs.  They report what we all don’t want to hear–the courts are twisted and corrupt.
But then again, if you want to easily clean up your courts so you gain impunity, you should be thanking attys like myself that show up to hearings, blog and publish so miscreants know they are being watched.
Please reverse this ruling and publish it in every courtroom.  Attys and the public that are taking notes need to do so.  The bailiffs can be trained in programs that record on every device from cell phones to pens to laptops and they should literally stop the court proceedings, popup the task manager and check those programs for recording.
If the program does not record, what is the problem?
Thanks
JoAnne Denison
PS–it seems to me there is great liability out there for liability for refusing to let attys take notes on cases where the court or the attorneys might be corrupt.  Do you want to start taking a list of these?  I already have two corrupt cases for you already.
Very Truly Yours,
DENISON & ASSOCS, PC
JoAnne Denison
JoAnne M. Denison
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