Need help with a restraining order on a roommate

[MichiganMat]

I live in a condo with two other roommates, one was there when I showed and he's great. The 2nd we just moved in a few weeks back and she's bat-**** crazy.

The other night she stopped me in the doorway and started yelling at me about our living situation, something I have no control over. No one is home BTW, no witnesses if it comes to blows.

She's middle-aged and a paralegal and threatened me with all kinds of fees and actions and baloney for this and that. I tried to back out of the conversation but she wouldn't let me pass, followed me up to my room, came into my room, continued yelling and arguing. So I calmly call the police, she leaves the room yelling and I lock the door behind her. She comes back raving pissed and tries to come in! She yells and raves and leaves, drives to the police station to complain or whatever

Cops come, she comes back and starts arguing with the cops!

I don't feel safe with this chick in the house. Shes now taken to posting letters on our fridge with threats of legal action if we don't provider her with service access to the Comcast internet connection the way she wants it, etc etc etc.

Because of the way the rental agreements were set up and handled our landlords hands are kinda tied so she can't be evicted any time soon. For all the legal-eagle Pelicans out there, Im considering filing a civil harassment restraining order against her to get myself protected, but Im afraid of what could come back my way. Do you have any advice for this? Gas on a fire or a good first step?

I would love to teach Mr Legally Blonde a lesson in the law, the threats and letters have got me boiling.

- m

[dhoward]

taser.

[M.D. Holloway]

we have chemicals...good ones...no organic matter trace...say the word...

[ramonesfreak]

if your that concerned, i would call the cops and make a record every time you feel in danger....

you want to make a record of this before she does

im no expert in this area, but i suspect getting the events recorded by cops will help you with a restraining order as well as getting out of your lease should you desire that

i would also express your concerns in writing to your landlord to put him on notice that your peaceful existence is being messed with

resist your urge to bash her head in. keep your hands off her or you will find your life in the toilet in a hurry. she sounds like a psycho...ive known a few

[schamp]

Document everything. You will soon get to where you can get yourself out of the lease situation with the landlord. Which might be just what she wants. Either way its worth it. Find a new place and get out before someone gets hurt. Keep the landlord informed on everything. Call everyday if you have to.

[MichiganMat]

I've begun documenting everything today. The landlord is in on the whole thing, he's got me and cool-roomie-#2 covered. Its #3 I want to put the hurt on.

Would filing a civil harassment restraining order give #2 and I with the landlord any leverage in removing her from the property?

I may just file it to have it on record.

[RWebb]

can you afford an attorney in Calif.?

what about legal aid type advice?

you could also complain t her employer - call the law firm and ask "Who is the supervising attorney in your firm?"

Calif. has a lot of laws involving landlord/tenant and probably tenant to tenant interactions. And... getting real legal advice over the internet is like getting a real surgery done over the internet....

[Rot 911]

If your state has ex parte orders of protection that is what you want. However you have to be able to prove she has made threats that put you in apprehension of being harmed.

[MichiganMat]

No threats of violence, just intimidating behavior and letters threatening legal action for strange random things. The woman is just "off" and I don't trust sleeping under the same roof as her.

As a paralegal she tosses out all kinds of threats of actions, what she could do, etc etc. #2 and I are like "go for it", ya know, but Im not digging the whole crazy vibe Im getting from her, like she could snap and do something ugly.

[Dantilla]

# 1- She is not an attorney, and is not acting like one. A legal threat has to be backed up by some little thing called "the law". If she is making up silly stuff, there is no way a real attorney would back her up.

Take all of her notes off the refrigerator, and put them someplace safe for future reference. A good landlord/tenant attorney would have a good laugh over them, then get her out of there, legally.

One of my funniest moments as a landlord was on a phone call to a tenant who was obviously breaking terms of my rental agreement. After I clearly had her backed into a corner, using her own "logic" against her, she screamed: "Well I'm a second-year law student, and you're in big trouble".

After she said that, I knew I would never hear from her again. Sure enough, she moved out quietly withing a week.

"Wanna-be" lawyers are usually idiots. You're clearly in the driver's seat on this one, as long as you don't loose your cool and do something stupid. Maybe that's what she wants. Don't give it to her.

[Rick V]

Is she at least good looking? Sorry, and I can't believe I get to be the first one to ask.

[Buckterrier]

I'm no lawyer, but I am posting this from a Holiday Inn Express
Seriously... I would think with three individuals living together there would have to be something in the lease addressing harrassment. And yes everytime she even raises her voice document it. If you know her law firm call them asking for advice on a loon roomate. Then after they give it tell them who it is!
Man... good luck and keep us posted.

[Zeke]

Camcorder.

[MichiganMat]

Shes got a face only Helen Keller could love, with a 200lb body in a 150lb sack.

Times were tough last month, we needed a roommate to cover the rent. Ugly money is still money.

[stomachmonkey]

Hook up a webcam and stick some DVR software on your computer, tonight. Let it run 24/7 or look for SW that is motion activated.

Document like crazy.

Never lose your cool no matter what. Be calm, rational at all times. As you have done already, walk away, lock your door.

[juanbenae]

i take it yer not on sunnyvale ave any longer? give me the new address and i will stop by a couple nights a week, that'll get her thinking of moving out. you know what an ace i can be...

is she hot? maybe a picture might help us imagine this more clearly?

good luck mat

T$

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by Buckterrier

I'm no lawyer, but I am posting this from a Holiday Inn Express
Seriously... I would think with three individuals living together there would have to be something in the lease addressing harrassment. And yes everytime she even raises her voice document it. If you know her law firm call them asking for advice on a loon roomate. Then after they give it tell them who it is!
Man... good luck and keep us posted.

Yeah, good one. Retain them to help with a domestic case. Give em a check for a couple o hundred. Take em out of the equation.

[Dueller]

So, legal terminology and threats of action aside, what exactly is her beef? In lay terms...what's the problem she is complaining of?

You said something about internet access...like what's the problem with her having access?

[rammstein]

I would leave. Just leave. I have no tolerance for insanity.

[TheMentat]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Yeah, good one. Retain them to help with a domestic case. Give em a check for a couple o hundred. Take em out of the equation.

I'll place my vote here as well. It'll drive her nuts if you retain her firm!