With 13 years of fighting for victims’ rights nationwide, and almost a year of working with Arizona legislators, countless hours of stakeholder meetings, working with probate abuse victims from across the state, and never giving up, Sherry Lund saw the fruits of her labor last week, when Arizona Gov. Hobbs held a ceremonial bill signing for SB1291.
Lund, founder of Protecting Liberty, became an advocate for victim’s rights and championing the cause of correcting the horror stories of abuses in the probate courts after her family was victimized in the decade-plus long battle over her stepson, Brad Disney Lund’s inheritance from his grandfather, Walt Disney. Even though those cases have been settled in Brad’s favor, she has not given up the fight choosing instead to change the system that victimizes the innocent, stripping them of their civil rights.
In signing SB1291, Arizona law now affirms the Constitutional right to due process and protects individuals from those who profit by abusing the probate system by creating strict guidelines and penalties for violation. The bill, sponsored by Sen. John Kavanagh-R Fountain Hills and amended by Rep. Alex Kolodin to strengthen the courts requirements and include further protections for disabled adults, was officially signed earlier this year and will be effective on October 30, 2023. In addition to Mrs. Lund, the bill signing event was attended by other probate abuse victims, and citizens with disabilities, families, and friends.
“I’m so appreciative of all the work Sen. Kavanagh, Rep. Nguyen, and Rep. Kolodin put into seeing the two probate reform bills passed,” said Lund following the signing. “The people of Arizona should be grateful to Gov. Hobbs for her support of this bill and take comfort in knowing our civil rights are protected”. When asked what is next, she replied, “There is still much work to do to protect children in Arizona, to remove absolute immunity from judges and officers of the court that violate citizen’s rights, and there is a need for federal protections, as well.”