Some kind of mafia syndicate purchased the property I rent 2 years ago and viciously harassed all of us during COVID,

Hello! My name is ***** ***** attorney. Thank you for reaching out to Just Answer, and thank you for giving me the opportunity to assist you today. The paragraph of text below is a standard disclaimer/reminder I share with all customers. You will find my actual response below this reminder. Finally, if you get a phone call request, that's not me making the request. You can simply disregard that, and we can chat by typing.

REMINDER: This is not legal advice. While I am a licensed NY attorney, I may not be licensed in your state, and therefore I am only entitled to share general legal information, rather than precise legal counsel for your particular situation. Therefore, this is not an attorney-client relationship, and you understand that I take no responsibility for any misinterpretations given that I have not seen any of the documents in question, and do not know the specifics of your particular state's law. I merely am giving you some general legal information that may or may not apply in your particular situation. I heartily suggest that--to gain absolutely clarity and to ensure you do indeed understand your situation--you should hire a local attorney in your state to ensure proper legal analysis is conducted. These answers I provide are merely an informative service to help you better understand the context around legal situations similar to your legal situation, but not necessarily particular to your legal situation.

I am terribly sorry to hear you are going through this difficulty. I can imagine how frustrating it must be, and I'm here to try to help!

First, take heart: because you're not the only one going through horrible situations.  Every day, I work with wonderful people like you who have had to endure very trying circumstances.  Stay strong.  You are going to get through this.

Second, yes, you're right about statutes of limitations.  Here is the official CA government website showing statutes of limitations for most civil cases:

https://www.courts.ca.gov/9618.htm

Most torts like emotional distress have a statute of limitations of 2 years from the date of injury.

On one hand, I can refer you to a lawyer search company to help you find a local attorney who may be able to take on a case.  However, on the other hand, often my best legal recommendation is... to do nothing.  In other words, to avoid any further emotional distress, and simply move on with your life.  Why?  Because the legal system is not fun.  Suing someone, even if you win, has countless emotional fallout.  It's not 'all roses' if you are victorious.

Sure, if the statute of limitations hasn't passed, maybe it's worth pursuing.  But... more often than not, the best revenge (as they say) is success and leading a good life.

If you do want to pursue legal action, to find a good local attorney, I recommend you check out http://www.martindale.com This is the biggest lawyer search company in the USA, and the search is free. Just type in relevant words such as your city, state, and the type of lawyer needed, for example: "Miami Criminal Defense" or "Juno Alaska Real Estate" or "Kansas City Contract Attorney". You will get a list of many competent attorneys. Get in touch with 5, 10, or even 50 until you find one you like, who you trust, and who is eager to take on your case. Sometimes it takes a lot of emails and phone calls to find the perfect attorney for your particular situation. And if you are persistent, you can usually always find a good attorney who you can afford. I honestly recommend you contact 50 of them or more, because those individuals who do reach out to about 50 prospective attorneys are consistently more likely to find the perfect lawyer. Those individuals who only interview a few attorneys sometimes do not choose the best person for the job. I know it seems like a big chore to reach out to so many, but if this legal matter is really important to you, you will spend the extra time on the front end to ensure you get the best person for your unique circumstances.

I hope this is helpful!

Note that I am not on my computer 24/7, so thank you too in advance for your patience with my responses. If ever you do not hear back from me within 24 hours, please don't hesitate to send a friendly follow up!

Fallout meaning: you think you have emotional distress now, but being a party to a lawsuit that drags on for 3+ years can cause even more emotional distress.  People often don't realize that a lawsuit is emotionally taxing and draining.

Now, on the other hand, if the SOL hasn't passed, and you want to try to go after them, please follow my instructions above to find a good litigation attorney nearby your home.

With your next lawyer: be SURE there is a very clear contract with the attorney, outlining costs, fees, expenses, percentages, etc.  Lawyers (unfortunately) can be crooks  and bad business partners too.

I was a public defender for 2 years, and it really depressed me.  I don't do that work anymore.

And yes, it's amazing how many lawyers don't tell prospective clients about perhaps the best option of all: do nothing.  Sure, they don't make money, but I have a PhD in psychology too, and my main focus is bringing closure to clients.  Maybe that is getting back the money they lost.  Maybe that is telling them to forget the money they lost and go out and make twice as much money in the new year.

In your case, it's up to you.  But I want you to know that doing nothing doesn't mean 'doing nothing'.  It just means that using the legal system may not be the solution you seek.  I guarantee that the stress from thinking, "I need to get them!"  "I need to win!" is making all the trauma even worse.  As Jesus said, "They know not what they do."  Even if they do know they are being evil, try in your heart to forgive them. For your sake.  Today is the first day of a new year.  It can be the best year of your life, or the worst.  It's up to you, and how you look at it.

Hearing all you have said, a large part of me wants you to have peace, and not revenge.  Peace, not 'victory'.  And I really think the peace is saying, "forget you losers, I'm moving on with my life and helping the people I can moving forward".

Haha, happy to help you out.

Remember, I'm not saying 'give up'.  I'm saying that you need to make your own life your priority.  Then help the people in your life now.  And then, with 5% of your remaining energy, maybe try to devise a plan to go after them.  Maybe the courts.  maybe calling the newspapers.  Maybe starting a not for profit.

But do not let this rule your life any longer.  That was SO 2022.

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Thank you very much for allowing me to be of service. I enjoyed helping you.

For more information about me, you can read more at www.monroemannlaw.com

Have a great day/night!

And if you need additional assistance, please just let me know here in response.