Guardianship, A Civil Death, Britney Spears, Brian Wilson and YOU

Today we’re looking into a subject you may have heard about lately Conservatorship, also referred to as Guardianship. It’s been big news after superstar pop singer Britney Spears wrote a book about being placed in involuntary conservatorship for 13 long years, with her father having near complete control of every aspect of her life. 

Currently, an estimated two-million Americans live under guardianship or conservatorship. 

A shocking fact, state courts confiscate $50 billion in money and property every year from those placed under court ordered guardianship which typically lasts about six years, so an estimated $300 billion worth of assets in this country are under the jurisdiction of a guardian or conservator.

The state-run guardianship system, or conservatorship, is largely unregulated and there are predators in society who prey on the weakest among us. Some people are forced to take medication. Many feel they are virtual prisoners with no rights. There is no national uniform set of principles or guidelines to protect people paced in guardianship.

Joining me to discuss this extremely controversial area of jurisprudence is Diane Dimond. 

Diane is an award-winning investigative journalist, author, syndicated columnist, and former television correspondent who specializes in crime and justice issues. Diane has reported for NBC’s Today Show, MSNBC, CNBC, NPR, Court TV. She’s written for Newsweek, the Huffington Post and the Daily Beast. She’s the author of Be Careful Who You Love: Inside the Michael Jackson Case. She has written a new book, We're Here to Help, When Guardianship Goes Wrong.