A 95-year-old Georgia mother’s three children fought over her care after one son moved assets into a trust and blocked his sister’s visits; an October 26 court upheld the daughter’s appointment as guardian
A family dispute over the care of a 95-year-old woman with advanced dementia in Georgia ended on Monday with a court ruling in favour of her daughter, after her two sons challenged the decision to make her their mother’s guardian.According to the case details available on Justia, the disagreement began over who should look after Janet Dixon and grew into a dispute involving restrictions on family visits, control of her money and arguments between the siblings.In its verdict, the Georgia Court of Appeals upheld an earlier ruling appointing Janet’s daughter, Elizabeth “Lysa” Dixon McCullough, as her guardian, finding that concerns about her brothers’ conduct supported the decision.Janet has three children, including Lysa and her brothers, James “Jim” Dixon and Merritt “Sandy” Dixon. All three agreed that their mother needed someone to make decisions for her because of her condition. But while the brothers wanted Jim to remain in charge, Lysa believed she should take responsibility for their mother’s care.The family had been sharing responsibility for Janet in different ways over the years. Since 2018, she had been living in a house on Jim’s property. Lysa moved into the house in July 2024 and became her full-time caregiver. However, in December that year, Jim hired a professional to look after their mother instead. Lysa’s relationship with the new caregiver became strained, and Jim eventually called the police on his sister.By June last year, the disagreement had reached a point where both sides wanted the court to intervene. Lysa had moved Janet to another nearby house and applied to become her guardian. Jim opposed the request and asked the court to appoint him instead. As the case progressed, the court began examining not just the siblings’ disagreements but also whether Janet was being allowed to maintain contact with people close to her.
Why Jim wanted guardianship
In September 2023, before Janet was diagnosed with dementia, she had signed documents giving Jim authority to make healthcare decisions and manage her finances. She had also named Sandy as a backup healthcare agent.The court initially recognised Janet’s earlier choice and appointed Jim as her temporary guardian. Janet returned to the house on his property, but the arrangement soon raised concerns about her contact with Lysa.Jim had refused to allow his sister onto the property, preventing her from visiting their mother. The court intervened and directed him to allow Lysa to see Janet and speak with her. It also warned the siblings against arguing in front of their mother, given her health condition.Meanwhile, questions were emerging about Janet’s money. Jim had transferred a substantial amount of her assets into a trust. He later acknowledged moving some funds into a bank account held only in his name.Jim explained that he wanted to stop Lysa from taking the money for personal use. However, the court was concerned that some of Janet’s assets had not been disclosed when Jim first sought guardianship.The court subsequently appointed county administrator Julianne Glisson to manage Janet’s finances temporarily while the case continued.
Mother-daughter reunion ends in dispute
The family’s strained relationship became particularly clear during a meeting between Janet and Lysa, which was recorded by Janet’s friend, Julie McIntosh.According to court records, Janet appeared happy to see her daughter after several weeks without contact. But the visit was interrupted when Sandy entered the room and confronted Lysa. During the encounter, Lysa fell to the floor.Sandy later claimed that Lysa had attacked him. The court did not accept his version of what happened and described the recording as horrifying. The incident became part of a wider examination of how Janet had been treated while living on Jim’s property.During a three-day hearing in September 2025, some of Janet’s friends told the court that Jim had restricted their telephone contact with her and discouraged them from visiting. They said Lysa had been more willing to help them stay in touch with Janet.The court also examined the handling of Janet’s assets and found problems with the information the brothers had provided about her finances.
Why court chose the daughter over her brothers
After hearing evidence from the family, friends and medical professionals, the probate court decided on October 1, 2025, to appoint Lysa as Janet’s permanent guardian.The judge acknowledged that Lysa had also been involved in the disagreements. However, the court described her as “not the perfect choice, only the best one available”, concluding that she could put aside the conflict with her brothers when making decisions for their mother. The court separately appointed Glisson to manage Janet’s financial affairs.Jim and Sandy challenged the decision, arguing that Janet’s earlier choice of Jim should have been respected and questioned the use of the recording involving Sandy and Lysa.However, the Georgia Court of Appeals found that the earlier court had sufficient reasons to choose Lysa. It pointed to concerns about Jim’s conduct, the handling of Janet’s assets, and the restrictions placed on her contact with others.
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