What Are Your Plans For Elder Law Day?
May 1 is officially Law Day, recognizing the role of law in our lives and our fundamental rights under law. Since its proclamation by a joint resolution of Congress in 1961, it has been a day on which lawyers educate the public about legal rights.
The 2012 Law Day theme "No Courts, No Justice, No Freedom" highlights the serious underfunding of courts across America.
Let us know about your organization’s or bar group’s plan for an Elder Law Day program in your community (for May 1 or any other time in the month of May, which is also Older Americans Month) and we will include news of it in upcoming issues of Bifocal. E-mail Jamie Philpotts at Jamie.Philpotts@americanbar.org.
For some state and local elder bar sections and committees, this annual event is an opportunity to promote an Elder Law Day program to educate older people about their rights.
Looking for the Latest Information on Guardianship Law?
Find it on the Guardianship Law and Practice Web page of the ABA Commission on Law and Aging, including:
- Current information on key developments in guardianship policy
- Valuable charts on state guardianship laws and annual updates
- Timely reports on pertinent issues in guardianship
- News from national and international consensus conferences
- Publications, handbooks, and video resources to help you in your work.
The ABA Commission on Law and Aging has posted its annual Adult Guardianship Legislative Summary. In 2011, at least 27 states passed a total of 39 adult guardianship bills. Nebraska, Arizona and Colorado passed substantial bills with a focus on guardian responsibilities, oversight, and compensation. Texas enacted a host of provisions addressing multiple aspects of its guardianship system. Ten states enacted the Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act (UAGPPJA), bringing the total number of states with enactments to 30. Read about these provisions and many more in the summary here.
—Erica Wood, Assistant Director
ABA Commission on Law and Aging