Sauder Schelkopf is investigating reports involving cemeteries double selling burial plots.
We want to hear from individuals or families who have:
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Paid for a specific burial plot but later discovered someone else was interred there
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Been offered or pressured to accept a different burial location than originally purchased
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Found changes, alterations, or discrepancies in their burial contract without consent
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Had a loved one buried in a location they did not choose
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Experienced similar issues
If you or someone you know has faced these circumstances, you may have legal rights, including the potential for compensation.
Why This Matters
Purchasing a burial plot is more than a financial transaction — it is a profound decision often connected to family heritage, religious traditions, and emotional closure. Any change to that decision without consent can result in significant emotional and financial harm.
Sauder Schelkopf’s Experience in Funeral Home and Cemetery Abuse Litigation
Sauder Schelkopf is a nationally recognized law firm with extensive experience representing families impacted by funeral home and cemetery abuses. The firm has successfully advocated for justice in several high-profile cases, holding institutions accountable for egregious violations of trust and decency.
1. Return to Nature Funeral Home Case
In 2023, Sauder Schelkopf represented victims in a scandal involving Return to Nature Funeral Home in Colorado, where more than 190 improperly stored human remains were discovered. Families were misled into believing their loved ones had been cremated, while the remains were left to decompose.
2. Harvard Medical School Body Parts Scandal
The firm represented families against Harvard Medical School in a body parts trafficking case. This appalling situation revealed that human remains donated to the school for scientific research were sold illegally.
3. Evergreen Cemetery
In a notable case involving Evergreen Cemetery, Sauder Schelkopf fought for the families of individuals whose graves were desecrated. Cemetery operators were accused of selling plots multiple times and mishandling remains, causing significant emotional distress to families.
Experience Matters
Sauder Schelkopf has a nationally recognized litigation practice. The firm currently serves as court-appointed lead counsel in courts across the country. The attorneys at Sauder Schelkopf have recovered over $500 million on behalf of their clients and class members. Our firm was recognized by the Legal Intelligencer’s 2022 Professional Excellence Awards. The Legal Intelligencer’s Professional Excellence Awards honor Pennsylvania law firms and attorneys who have significantly impacted the legal profession. Our firm was named in the Litigation Departments of the Year (Specialty Area category; runner-up), an award that honors the best litigation practice in a small or mid-sized firm in Pennsylvania. This recognition was based on the firm’s 2021 litigation work and its important ongoing cases. LawDragon has recognized our attorneys in its list of the “500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers” for 2022. This list notes: “From the opioid epidemic to toxic substances and defective products, truck accidents to wildfires and sexual abuse, these are the lawyers who stand on the front line in individual lawsuits and class actions seeking justice.” Mr. Schelkopf was named to Pennsylvania’s Best Lawyers® 2022 for Class Actions/Mass Tort Litigation. The American Lawyer named Mr. Sauder to its 2021 Northeast Trailblazers. The honor recognizes 60 lawyers who are “truly agents of change.” It “recognizes professionals in the Northeast who have moved the needle in the legal industry.” The Legal Intelligencer named Mr. Sauder and Mr. Schelkopf in its 2020 Pennsylvania Trailblazers list recognizing 31 lawyers who “have taken extra measures to contribute to positive outcomes . . . and who are truly agents of change.” The Legal highlighted the firm’s innovative work on advocacy as class counsel in large institutional sex abuse cover-ups, women’s, and children’s rights. Our attorneys have also consistently been recognized by their peers being named to Pennsylvania SuperLawyer, a distinction held by the top 5% of attorneys in Pennsylvania. The National Trial Lawyers Association has also selected our attorneys as the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania.
We Want to Hear from You
If your loved one’s gravesite was double sold, contact the lawyers at Sauder Schelkopf by filling out the form on this page or calling 888.711.9975.