NASHVILLE (AP) - Members of the Tennessee Bar Association heard an earful from Tennesseans upset over the state law that they say allows unscrupulous people to take advantage of vulnerable adults.

The conservatorship law is meant to protect adults with diminished capacity due to age, disability, mental health issues or addiction. It allows a judge to appoint someone as a guardian to oversee their affairs. But the system does not always work as intended.

At the Thursday hearing in Nashville, distraught people told stories of losing their homes, cars, and possessions to pay attorneys and conservators. Some said they had lost jobs, had their credit ruined and were facing homelessness.

Thursday's hearing was the first of several around the state intended to generate ideas for improving the conservatorship system.