PROVIDENCE -- The legal battle between two sisters over who should be in charge of their mother's affairs now that she is incompetent to care for herself is officially over. Francine Ardito, of Reston, Va., has repaid the $16,000 she owed her 91-year-old mother, Laurette Borduas Eifrig, to purge herself of contempt.
Follow the developments in this case
PDF: Read Judge Gibney's order
10.12.07: Feud among sisters escalates over use
of mother's money
9.14.07: Daughter took $300,000 from mother’s trust
8.11.07: Daughters' feud to cost mother $186,000 in fees
8.08.07: Daughter seeks settlement in guardian case
7.17.07: Daughter faces contempt hearing in guardian case
6.27.07: Mother, 90, at center of dispute between sisters granted her wish
6.26.07: Contempt hearing set in dispute on guardian
6.23.07: Gibney's decision: Neither daughter is fit to be guardian
PDF: Read Judge Gibney's decision denying both daughters guardianship
PDF: Read the letter in which Francine Ardito discharges her lawyer
PDF: Read a transcript of Laurette Borduas Eifrig's testimony
PDF: Read Judge Gibney's order discontinuing Suzette Gebhard's visitations with her mother
Audio: Hear Judge Jeanne E. LaFazia's decision, 15 min. 24 sec.
4.21.07: Family face-off hits courtroom
4.8.07: Judge rules daughter may not visit mother
4.6.07: Judge denies daughter's request to take Eifrig out for Easter
PDF: Read Justice Gibney's order governing the terms under which Eifrig's daughters can visit her
Chat with an expert about dementia-related issues
Journal staff writer Tracy Breton
Tracy Breton is a recipient of a Rosalynn Carter Mental Health Journalism Fellowship for 2006-07.
Contact information
Breton is writing an intermittent series of stories about elder abuse, exploitation and self-neglect in Rhode Island. If you or someone you know has a story to share, e-mail tbreton@projo.com or call
(401) 277-7362.
