I have a case that is heading for litigation (although we have tried to settle out-of-court for some time without success). The case involves criminal trespass and property damage against our neighbor who is, for lack of a better term, crazy. We had just moved into the neighborhood, and within two months, our neighbor had trespassed on our property and cut down about $700 worth of bushes well on our side of the property line, which was clearly marked by stakes (ironically, they put the stakes there after disputing the line with the previous owners!). This act was witnessed by another neighbor, who has agreed to testify.
To cut to the chase, I'm worried that my neighbor, who apparently has no conscience, will do or say anything under oath in order to win--they have already falsely accused me of hiring someone doing the damage myself, then blaming it on them because of their asian ethnicity (thus playing the "race card".) Of course, I cannot prove that I'm not a racist (I'm not), other than the fact that my wife is Native American, and that two of my siblings have adopted Korean and Philippino children, whom I adore, and the fact that I had never seen any of them prior to the event to even know what their ethnicity was in the first place.
Knowing that part of their defense is an outright lie, how will this likely play out in court? What is my best defense against such falsities? Do judges deal with this sort of dishonesty on a routine basis, and so are able to spot fraudulent claims when they hear them?
Thanks,
Michael
To cut to the chase, I'm worried that my neighbor, who apparently has no conscience, will do or say anything under oath in order to win--they have already falsely accused me of hiring someone doing the damage myself, then blaming it on them because of their asian ethnicity (thus playing the "race card".) Of course, I cannot prove that I'm not a racist (I'm not), other than the fact that my wife is Native American, and that two of my siblings have adopted Korean and Philippino children, whom I adore, and the fact that I had never seen any of them prior to the event to even know what their ethnicity was in the first place.
Knowing that part of their defense is an outright lie, how will this likely play out in court? What is my best defense against such falsities? Do judges deal with this sort of dishonesty on a routine basis, and so are able to spot fraudulent claims when they hear them?
Thanks,
Michael