Professors co-author book on the law of financial abuse and exploitation
January 18, 2011

Every year, tens of thousands of elderly Americans are abused physically, emotionally, or financially. Despite its devastating impact, financial abuse seems to be the least understood and discussed.

“As advocates for elderly people, we saw a need for a practical guide to this area of the law for attorneys, judges, and advocates,” said Professor Katherine Pearson, who founded the Elder Law and Consumer Protection Clinic in 1997, one of the nation’s first legal clinics devoted to older persons. “Financial advisors, bank employees, social workers, and families would all benefit from understanding the clear guidelines for prevention of financial exploitation that we lay out here.”  

In The Law of Financial Abuse and Exploitation (Bisel 2011), co-authors Professors Katherine Pearson and Trisha Cowart provide answers to critical questions like — What is financial exploitation?  What risk does an elderly person take by signing a power of attorney or creating a joint bank account? How does one work with public agencies to investigate suspected abuse? How can attorneys, banks, and courts reduce the potential for financial abuse of disabled or older adults?

As the state with the third highest percentage of older adults, Pennsylvania is often the arena for financial abuse or exploitation. The book presents the legal consequences of financial exploitation, both in criminal and civil terms. 

While Pennsylvania law is the primary focus of the book, cross references to other states are provided in a national, comparative chart of state laws and cases. The step-by-step analysis of alternative remedies will be useful to legal advisors, whether in or outside of the Commonwealth, especially when pursuing a timely, full recovery. 

To order a copy of The Law of Financial Abuse and Exploitation, please visit Bisel.com. To read the foreword and view a detailed table of contents, visit Scribd.com.