Thanksgiving – Perfect Time to Select Your Key People

During the upcoming Thanksgiving festivities, when your family and friends gather for hours in a cozy family home or two homes, consider that this time offers you a remarkable opportunity to determine who your key people will be in your legal documents. Who are key people – these are the people who you chose to have as your independent executor, trustee, and attorney-in-fact. If you are married, it is likely that your first choice is your spouse; however, you should have alternates listed on all your personal legal documents.

I am not suggesting you make your family holiday gathering more awkward than it typically is every year. My proposal is that you silently observe your siblings, their spouses and kids, and how everyone interacts with your child/children from the perspective of a parent removed from the situation. Siblings are not the only candidates for the role of key people. Outside of your immediate family, there are cousins and family friends to consider. Parents to choose key people candidates near their age or younger.

Thinking of your possible untimely death or disability may seem morose; however, your Will, Power of Attorney (“POA”), and Medical Power of Attorney (“Medical POA”) are legal documents in which you designate in writing people you trust to make important decisions about your child/children, your finances, your bank accounts, and vital medical decisions.

The key people you should be looking for are people that can naturally offer patience to raise your child or children in the event they become orphans. The selected key person to raise your children may not be the same key person who you select to be your “attorney-in-fact” in your POA. The key person you choose to handle your finances may not be the key person you select to make end-of-life decisions in your Medical POA.

Look on www.filislaw.com for the Will Packet prior to scheduling an appointment for a consultation.

Special Education case before the U.S. Supreme Court

The U. S. Supreme Court will decide what is the standard of education public schools must provide to students with disabilities.  Specifically, the dispute is about the intention in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”) for the level of education public schools must offer.

In 1982, the U. S. Supreme Court stated that IDEA contains no “substantial standard prescribing the level of education to be accorded handicapped children.” Board of Education of Hendrick Hudson Cen. Sch. Dist. v. Rowley, 458 U.S. 176, 189 (1982). Due to Rowley, the Supreme Court allows States to provide a program “reasonably calculated to enable the child to receive education benefits” then it “has complied with the obligations imposed by Congress and the courts can require no more.” Rowley at 206-207.

Should IDEA be interpreted to demand school districts to provide a “substantial” education or merely make an effort to educate children? Cases from various Courts of Appeals conflict with their interpretation of IDEA.

Endrew F. is a minor child with autism whose parents filed suit against the Douglas County School District.  Individualized Education Program (“IEP”) is a legal document containing written statements regarding the student’s education program.    Endrew F.’s parents objected to the District’s offering of substantially similar IEPs year after year and not the achieving the level of education that meets an appropriate standard for Free Appropriate Public Education (“FAPE”).

Oral arguments before the Supreme Court are scheduled for mid-January.

The Leader

Neighborhood Newspaper The Leader is a Great Local Resource for Small Businesses!

I enjoy working with Katy to help my business get the best marketing for my money.

 

Partners Resource Network

 

Welcome to The Filis Law Firm website!  Please feel free to click around. For the DADS questions form or Camera in the Classroom letter (template) look at The Filis Files on the right side of the page.

You can also add to your cart a PDF of my presentation.

Thanks for visiting!

https://www.facebook.com/events/814755271958829/

 

Learn more at Region 4 with The Filis Law Firm and other community partners

Join TEAM Project on September 23, 2016 for Game On! Share The Knowledge Symposium Series 2016 and Community Resource Fair. Admission is FREE but pre-registration is required. A boxed lunch will be provided to registered participants.
TEAM Project’s Symposium will include 3 presentations offering information and knowledge to help empower parents and youth to become better advocates.
There will also be a resource fair with local community agencies and service providers.
Presentation Topics:
Self Employment? Yes YOU Can!
Advocacy
Parents and The Transition Process
Youth Panel: Youth with DisABILITIES sharing their experiences as students of Special Education and beyond. Youth 14-26

Contact Info: Regional Coordinators Celia Ulloa : culloaprnteam@sbcglobal.net, 832-640-0509 and Ana Esparza aesparzaprnteam@sbcglobal.net 832-878-0509

Click here for more information!

Free Tickets

 

Radio spot – Info on Duchenne

Tomorrow morning at 8:00 on KPFT 90.1 Open Journal. Lindy Fillis (mom to Ditri age 5) and Erin Bullers (mom to Nicholas age 12) will be doing an interview from 8:25 to 8:55 explaining  Duchenne MD, upcoming Cure Duchenne Cares event taking place on Friday and Saturday, and  resources for families. They will also share with the audience on how they can help the Duchenne community with the critical adcom coming up on April 25th with the FDA. Although etepliresen only helps 13% of  Duchenne boys, it will pave the way for future drug approval.
>
> You can urge your Senators to Sign a letter to the FDA. The link to do that is:
> https://secure2.convio.net/ppmd/site/Advocacy;jsessionid=6DF790174F62817DB1ACBEA5BA987A72.app227a?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=225
>
>
>
>
>
>

New Instagram

Hello all,

I just created an Instagram account for Autism_Atty.  If you have an Instagram account for you and your loved one with a disability, look me up. I would love to see your lives through pics!

Leona