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Black, Female Elder Faces Trauma in the Courts

Published

9 years ago

September 17, 2016

Maxine Ussery, a Black woman over 80 years of age, and her husband and brother, have received an eviction notice to vacate the property their father Ananias Willis left to them.

It is a modest property with 10 bungalow units in West Oakland, but it is all they have left after the court sold their father’s home and thriving cleaners business in 2013.

Homelessness is so stressful it can kill, especially someone of this age. At work, the stress and trauma on Maxine’s face is palpable. She excuses herself frequently with an upset stomach that “has been like this for months.”

Apparently the courts have forgotten they were created, “for the people.” There’s fault on both sides. The Willis’ violated the first rule of estate planning: Never step foot inside a probate court.

Yet once they landed in probate as a result of actions of a single sibling, the judge should have protected this family.

It did not. Instead it became a predator.

(See Post Story March 25, 2016 “Even when Done Right the Probate Court Still Wins”).

The cold fact is the court has every right to do what it is doing. Unfortunately, the judges have forgotten their raison for existing. The court’s purpose is to protect families and make sure assets are fairly distributed among family members according to trust documents.

The court-appointed trustee of the Ussery-Willis estate trustee has violated the first five rules on the trustee responsibility list, which can be viewed on information on the Alameda Court website.

The law says the trustee must: Do what the trust document says as long as it is legal; Do only things that benefit the beneficiaries; Not favor one beneficiary over another; Avoid conflicts of interest with the beneficiaries; Never use trust property or the trustee’s powers for personal benefit, unless the trust authorizes it. Probate court has it twisted.

The trustee has issued a 30-day notice for Maxine, her husband and her brother Raymond to vacate their property.

If the court was operating as it should, the judge would have protected the Willis family. According to the Ananias Willis’ Trust, he wanted decisions regarding his estate to be made by 60 percent of his beneficiaries.

That 60 percent say they didn’t want to sell their property or need a trustee, and they wanted to manage their property, something they did successfully for years before court interference. The court ruled against their wishes, appointed a trustee and has served them with a 30-day notice to vacate their home and is selling off the estate.

When Maxine asked the judge why she was doing this, the judge told her, “Because I can.”

Probate court is self- serving and corrupt. They could easily rule to allow the Willis-Ussery family to stay in their home and deduct the “rental payment” from their portion of the Ananias Willis Trust once it’s settled.

Maxine and other elders whose property has been taken by the courts protest every Tuesday in front 1225 Fallon St. courthouse from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or the Berkeley Probate Court at 2120 Martin Luther King Way. They will be at Fallonnext Tuesday. Please join them.

By the time the courts have paid the judge, the trustee, and everybody else, there will not be any money left for the beneficiaries, and that’s a hard cold truth.

Oakland Post

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Related Topics:eviction housing Maxine Ussery probate court

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Oakland Post: Week of November 5 – 11, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of November 5 – 11, 2025

Published

1 week ago

November 7, 2025

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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Michael: The King of Pop’s Story Returns to the Big Screen

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The curtain has finally lifted on one of Hollywood’s most anticipated films. Lionsgate has unveiled the official trailer and release date for “Michael,” the sweeping biopic about Michael Jackson that has been years in the making.

Published

1 week ago

November 6, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The curtain has finally lifted on one of Hollywood’s most anticipated films. Lionsgate has unveiled the official trailer and release date for “Michael,” the sweeping biopic about Michael Jackson that has been years in the making. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film will arrive in theaters on April 24, 2026, with the singer’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, stepping into the spotlight to portray his legendary uncle.

The trailer wastes no time rekindling the aura of Jackson’s genius. Opening with a studio scene between Jackson and his longtime producer Quincy Jones, played by Kendrick Sampson, the clip builds from a quiet, familiar rhythm to the electrifying pulse of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.” Viewers catch glimpses of the singer’s childhood, flashes of “Thriller,” and the silhouette that redefined pop culture. Each frame reminds fans of why Jackson remains unmatched in artistry and influence. The cast surrounding the late pop king’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, reads like a who’s who of Black entertainment and music history. Colman Domingo plays Joe Jackson, Nia Long portrays Katherine Jackson, and Larenz Tate takes on the role of Motown founder Berry Gordy. Laura Harrier portrays music executive Suzanne de Passe, while Kat Graham embodies Diana Ross. Miles Teller plays attorney John Branca, a towering entertainment lawyer and longtime Jackson confidant who later became co-executor of his estate. The film’s journey to release has been as complicated as the icon it portrays. Production wrapped in 2024, but legal hurdles over depictions of past controversies forced extensive reshoots and editing delays. Even so, Fuqua’s film now appears ready to reclaim the narrative, focusing on Jackson’s creative ambition and humanity beyond tabloid noise. IndieWire reported that the film had faced “a massive legal snafu” over a disputed storyline but was retooled to center the music and legacy that defined generations.

Maven. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson

“Michael” promises more than a chronological retelling. It aims to explore how a child star from Gary, Indiana, became the world’s most influential entertainer. The script, written by Oscar-nominated John Logan, traces Jackson’s early years with the Jackson 5 through the triumphs and isolation of global superstardom. With Fuqua’s cinematic eye and producer Graham King—who brought “Bohemian Rhapsody” to life—joining forces with estate executors Branca and John McClain, the film is positioned as both a tribute and a restoration of Jackson’s cultural truth. Branca’s work behind the scenes has long shaped Jackson’s posthumous success. After the singer died in 2009, Branca and McClain took control of the estate burdened by debt and turned it into a global powerhouse worth billions. Under their stewardship, Jackson’s projects have generated more than $3 billion in worldwide ticket sales and landmark deals, including a $600 million joint venture with Sony earlier this year. At its heart, though, “Michael” is a story about artistry that transcends scandal. It offers a reminder that, despite the noise surrounding his life, Jackson’s music still bridges continents and generations. The trailer’s closing moments capture that spirit. As the beat of “Billie Jean” swells and Jaafar Jackson moonwalks into a spotlight, audiences are left with a familiar feeling—the awe of witnessing something timeless return home.

“Michael” opens worldwide in theaters April 24, 2026. See the official trailer here.

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

#NNPA BlackPress

Donald Trump Is the Biggest Loser

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The Trump Brand took a significant hit as it was swept up in the Democratic blue wave of the election last night.

Published

1 week ago

November 5, 2025

Oakland Post

By April Ryan

The Trump Brand took a significant hit as it was swept up in the Democratic blue wave of the election last night.

Chris Jones, Democratic candidate for U.S. House of Representatives (AR-02), says, “Last night was electric, and it was unquestionably a wave.” Democrats won big in what is widely considered a repudiation of Trump’s 9 months at the White House in his second term.

In the state of Virginia, which produced the first big election night win and saw the election of the first woman governor, Democrat Abigail Spanberger, 56% of Virginia’s residents disapprove of President Trump. In New Jersey, 55% of state residents disapprove of the president; in New York, 69% disapprove; and in California, 63% disapprove of the president. The Trump brand or his support for any candidates did nothing to benefit those he endorsed in this election. They actually lost in each race he publicly put his name behind. Trump endorsed former New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, who lost the New York mayor’s race in his run as an independent. And New Jersey Republican Jack Ciattarelli, who ran for governor with the presidential endorsement, also lost his prospective race.

The next question is, will the democratic momentum be sustainable? Jones further explained, “This can become a 2026 tsunami, but turning a wave into a tsunami takes energy. A lot of energy. It doesn’t just happen. The conditions are there. Now we have to work!”

Some Democrats would argue that the work is already underway. The pushback against Trump’s national redistricting efforts received a thumb in the eye from California voters. Prop 50, California Governor Gavin Newsom’s counterbalance to President Trump’s redistricting efforts, passed in California last night. Although Trump’s name was not on the ballot last night, his Republican policies were. The United States has now entered the longest government shutdown in its history. Forty-two million Americans are not getting SNAP benefits. Economists are acknowledging that the government shutdown is contributing to the rise in delinquent debt in the student loan, automotive, and credit card industries. These items are among the negatives Americans are protesting against.

Compounding Trump’s political problems is a tariff battle that’s directly impacting pocketbooks. The day after the elections, the Trump administration was arguing before the US Supreme Court in favor of the president’s tariff powers. Meanwhile, President Trump‘s poll numbers are underwater, standing at a 37% national disapproval rate