Ms. Dwyer represented an elderly man who had been misdiagnosed with dementia, when he suffered from a treatable condition known as normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). She was successful in having him fully restored to all of his rights and the guardianship action against him was terminated.
Ms. Dwyer filed suit on behalf of a young woman whose sister murdered their mother to prevent the murderer from inheriting the mother’s estate.
Ms. Dwyer was a trial attorney in Illinois’ first successful “right-to-die” case. The trial court allowed a guardian to remove a feeding tube from his ward who was in a persistent vegetative state, but had previously expressed his desire not to have his death artificially delayed.
“Man’s Life is Put on Display so He may be Allowed to Die” Chicago Tribune 9/27/90;
“Neurologist Testifies Man in Right-to-die Case is Vegetative” Chicago Tribune 9/28/90;
“Comatose Man’s Life-support to be Ended” Chicago Tribune 10/4/90
“Greenspan Decision Won’t be Appealed” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin 10/4/90
See “Greenspan” referenced in Milestones in right-to-die law, Chicago Sun-Times, Mar 22, 2005 by Abdon M. Pallasch
She was one of the trial attorneys where a $344,000 judgment was entered against two individuals who defrauded an elderly senile man and his mentally disabled son out of their home.
“How Home Scam Backfired on Partners” Chicago Tribune 7/2/89
Ms. Dwyer was one of the trial attorneys in a case involving severance of joint tenancies of an elderly disabled man’s $850,000 estate against an attorney and former Congressman. The case was successful on appeal but reversed by the Illinois Supreme Court on the issue of standing.
“Case against Lawyer Begins” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin 1/8/91
“Lawyer Didn’t Defraud 90-year-old: Judge” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin 6/4/91
“Undue Influence Cited in Severing Estate” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin 3/21/95
Ms. Dwyer represented the guardian of an elderly disabled man against his nursing home where he was injured after falling down an open stairwell in his wheelchair while unattended by nursing home staff.
In another case she represented the guardians of an elderly disabled man in having his marriage to a young con artist invalidated.