News

On November 4, Alison Hirschel, MEJI's Program Director and Managing Attorney, testified in support of Senate Bills 585 and 586. Senate Bill 585 offers protection from an all-too-common scenario: sale of a property for what appears to be less than market value. By requiring a recent appraisal by a qualified individual, this bill will both offer more reliable protection that vulnerable individuals are getting fair value for their property and more uniformity in probate court practice.

Senate Bill 586 speaks to the critical issue of guardians seeking to change a protected individual’s residence. In our experience, this happens all too often at the beginning of the guardianship when professional guardians often quite candidly admit that being responsible for someone in the community is too burdensome and they will only serve as guardian if the person is receiving 24- hour supervision in a facility. MEJI requested additional projections in the bill that would ensure protected individuals are only moved when appropriate and to a place that meets their needs.

For more information on the bill, please read: https://michiganadvance.com/2025/11/06/michigan-senate-panel-reviews-bills-to-curb-exploitation-by-professional-guardians/