My question involves defamation in the state of: Libel & Slander
My mom seems to have an escalating issue going on with her neighbor. After losing her job, I had moved her up to where I live, within my neighborhood. At first, she was so happy. It was peaceful, and started to get her feet back on the ground.
At first, her neighbors two doors down were very nice. In fact, My husband, children and myself would visit my mom and have nice conversations with them. All of a sudden it got ugly really fast.
They started with small gossip, no big deal. There were rumors going around, stemmed from them, that she had complained about a neighbor's fence. She knows, as well as us, that she never did. Like I said, not a big deal. Then, all of a sudden gossip started flying around, again stemmed from those neighbors, that she had called the homeowner's association on them in regards to their deck. This got her a bit upset, but again, she is an adult and doesn't listen to rumors.
This is where it starts getting ugly. A few months ago, a neighbor she is friends with, confided in her that she had called a fire marshall with a question on laws regarding fire pits on decks. My mom said (kind of jokingly) "Oh boy, I bet they will blame me for that, too!" Well, THEY DID! The "accusing" neighbor stormed to my mom's house one day banging on her door. When my mom answered the neighbor stated that "she wasn't happy". My mom being worried, asked what was the matter (thinking she needed her help). Well, the neighbor bluntly yelled, "YOU CALLED THE FIRE MARSHALL ON US". My mom was a little taken back. She told her she didn't know what she was talking about and that she didn't make the phone call. Then the neighbor, lying of course, said that the fire marshall TOLD her it was my mom! First of all, they do have confidentially codes they must go by. My mom told her to stop accusing her of everything and to get off of her property. She called me frantically (she lives alone and gets scared for her own being). I came over and she told me the story. I tried to go over to the neighbor's house to try to iron this out, however they did not answer the door. I suppose they can dish it out, but not take it.
Anyhow, to make matters worse, they wrote a letter (which my mother has, thanks to her landlord) to the homeowner's association and also copying THEIR attorney, and my mother's landlord stating that my mother is harrassing them. They had stated, in writing, all their false accusations, saying that she had called the animal control on them to come out and trap their cats, had called the fire marshall, had called the homeowners association for their deck.
Along with letters, she has also gotten ME involved, lying to the neigbors that I was yelling at them across from her deck, and also saying that my mom is "stalking" her by pacing back and forth in front of their house.
This has to stop. My mother has even called an attorney for advice, however these suits for defamation, slander and libel can be very expensive. She has no money, and she isn't looking for compensation. Just to be left alone is all she wants, and her good name back.
Also, she is fearing that somehow they are going to lie and sue her for things she hasn't done. We can prove that she hasn't done anything. By phone records, and records of complaints and such kept by those who had been called.
I'm looking for advice, I am so sorry that this is so long - I am just scared for my mom, and don't want to see her suffer like this anymore. She's scared to death just to go outside. A neighbor of hers, the ONE who actually called the fire marshall, said that one day the accusing neighbor was out with a Skewer stabbing a cardboard box saying, "I hate (mother's name)!!!!" (dont' want to put my mom's name in, by the way : ).
One more bit - My mom doesn't want to "blab" about the neighbor who actually called the fire marshall. She doesn't want to "throw her under the bus" and the lawyer she talked to even said not to tell the rotten neighbors that the girl called.
It's gotten out of hand. Please offer any advice that can help my mom.

