Legal action

[RiverPurl]

It looks like maybe there might be an avenue for me to explore to go to court and seek a court order to request for my estranged sibling to stop contacting me.

This is an option I wish to explore once the Easter holidays are over.

I am anxious about and apprehensive about some things.

- I have a lot of evidence on my old phones and recent one.   I will be able to provide the most recent evidence of contact.
I feel digging into the older phones will be a trigger for me. There is so much old material. I don't know if I can face it all.   It's stomach churning.

- I lost some of the abusive communications material but not all of it. I have the majority of the material.

- She was at her worst in 2018. She was lashing out at me, and at other members of our family too and punishing us and seeking revenges.   I don't want to list the acts of abuse she carried out in fear of being found out.  Throughout that year, I ignored her more often than not but when she did hurt me, sometimes I did respond and retaliate but often not.

I feel like I will never be able to get peace from this situation without taking legal action. She had 8 years to reflect and think about things and try and speak to me normally but she never did that. Everything from her is abuse. Even now.

[RiverPurl]

She's someone who makes drama out of thin air.  I'm not looking forward to going to court with someone with so much conflict.

Does anyone have experience of going to court with someone like this.
Thank you.

[bloomie]

RiverPurl - What a long journey you have been on. I hope I am understanding correctly in thinking your sister is continuing to contact and attempt to abuse you and legal action is your next and only step. This all must weigh so heavily on you. I am just so sorry!

As you go into possible legal action do you have a good support system in place and will you be able to continue with good self care for the duration? Are there safeguards you can instill in the everyday parts of your life to protect you from all but the most essential engagement?

I guess I am wondering how you will take care of you if you decide to go forward with legal action?

We have not taken legal action with one high drama, high conflict sibling, but have been put through the ringer legally when sibling was fired from our business. Thankfully, there was found to be no legal basis for his complaints, but he sure did try to retaliate for being fired after a long, well documented history of very serious issues.

It was a very tough time, I am not going to sugarcoat it, but we stayed as steady as we could, refused to discuss it with outside family members who were hellbent on taking sides. And held our ground with plenty of documentation - which it sounds like you have as well. Bravo on that!

In my FOO system, this sibling dominated and controlled the whole family. And the damage that was done when we could no longer accommodate his addictions, dysfunction, and mental health issues has been very painful. I hope you will keep coming back for support and that you have in real life support through this.