My question involves restraining orders in the State of: New York
Hello,
A couple days ago my decade long estranged mother corned myself and my daughter during shopping checkout. I told her to leave us alone, but she continued to cause a scene, ranting at us, and threatened to call CPS. The cashier called for a manager, and he made her leave my space.
During bagging, she came at us again, this time holding up a camera, ranting, and taking pics of both of us. I told her to leave us alone again, but she turned to my daughter and told her how we were liars and brainwashers. The cashier noticed this, and came to tell her to leave us alone and she couldn't take pictures. My mother turned on her, and shouted she had rights and could take whatever pics she wanted. Cashier called the manager again who made her leave the area again, and stayed with us to make sure she wouldn't come back. There was more ranting in the parking lot, but I left as soon as I could and ignored it.
My mother is vindictive crazy, and has called CPS on us 3 times, numerous well-checks, a failed GPV suit, and more. She has also friended anyone I was ever associated with on Facebook to smear myself and my husband. Besides the character assassination, she has also disclosed my place of work- encouraging people to ambush me, repeatedly says my husbands name, which would no doubt come up if an employer searched for him, encouraged an estranged relative to come over and 'say hi', and also recently encouraged someone to come here to beat my husband up. She has also asked people who see us out in public or my children playing in the yard to take photos of them. She regularly does background checks on me, and posts whatever pics she finds. It's pretty crazy, and has altered how we live our lives and who we share ourselves with. :(
I called the police to document the incident, and he suggested I file for an order of protection, which I did yesterday. Both my daughter and I were frightened by the confrontation, and I do not know how she will react with this face to face interaction- what kind of punishment she will dole out, who she will send here, and what they might do. I feel like now she knows she has nothing to lose, since my daughter (her obsession) shut her down. I am afraid to leave the home, or go on planned activities with my kids. My mother saw our car, which is very distinctive, and I expect she would see it and come at me again if out in public. This interaction was with my oldest child, but I do have 4 younger ones who would be even more upset to have this happen.
I feel like the long history of abuse by proxy and threats to beat up my husband, antagonize me at work, and picture stalking combined with this incident and my fears should get us a little protection, but the officer said it didn't sound like she actually broke any laws.
Does this sound like we have a case to have this order of protection granted? Thanks so much for any advice or help. I am willing to elaborate on any details if needed.
Establishment: Is a Protection Order Likely to Be Granted
