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Abstract: 

Although it is clear that elder abuse and neglect are serious problems, the vast majority of instances of abuse never lead to court cases. Perhaps even worse, cases that end up in court can be frustrating for abused elders and their advocates because the court system is ill-prepared for the idiosyncratic needs of elderly litigants. The Archstone Foundation’s Elder Abuse and Neglect Initiative made a two-year grant to study courts that have developed effective specialized tactics for handling elder abuse cases. Focusing on California’s Alameda, Orange, San Francisco, and Ventura Counties (the so-called “study courts”), the report analyzes why it is difficult for courts to deal justly with complaints of elder abuse and makes many suggestions for improvement that could be implemented nationwide. The article includes a sidebar summarizing “Types of Elder Financial Abuse” and a separate box listing NCSC Recommendations and ABA Recommendations.

Keywords: elderly litigants; Elder Abuse and Neglect Initiative; training efforts for the justice system; NCSC Recommendations; ABA Recommendations

Affiliations:  1: Staff Editor.