tenants cutting down my magnolia trees w

Link to original post in case you need it: https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/8wkt4x/flneighborstenants_cutting_down_my_magnolia_trees/

I've received a number of messages begging for an update, but as it's only been a few months, I can only give a partial one, due to the ongoing legal issues (my attorneys have advised me not to divulge too much to anyone).

The day after my post, I called a good friend of mine who has been my go to plumber since I inherited the property (we went to high school together), to ask for his help. He went to both houses the next day, saying that I had called him last week since the water bill seemed high, and asked him to come look at the pipes. He went through the houses, surreptitiously taking pictures, while "inspecting" the bathrooms/kitchens/water boilers, etc for leaks. Apparently while he was there they made a bunch of comments about me that included racial slurs (tldr: i'm biracial, and do not pass for white) and such about how I need to learn my place. After he'd inspected both houses he came over to mine, and gave me all the photos.

I conferred with an attorney regarding evicting them, and four days later both families were served with 7 day eviction notices. As expected, they blew up, and started throwing rocks at my house, slinging more racial epithets in my direction. I'd always grown up being terrified of angry racist white men twice my size, I never realized how unbelievably pathetic they actually are until I watched them crying like babies while being hauled off by the police on the video cameras.

The bride made a very angry post on facebook, followed up by standing up in church (small town, most of us go to the same church) during "prayers and concerns" to beg for prayers for her family because "Our landlord is evicting all of us because she's jealous that I'm getting married!" The pastor, feigning innocence, said "I thought she was evicting you all because your father and [Groom]'s father cut down [My Great-Grandmother]'s prize magnolias?" Hardest game of You-Laugh-You-Lose I've ever played, still proud I survived.

According to the arborists (yes plural. though my friend came out and did an assessment, my attorney for the suit over the trees advised selecting someone who isn't so close to me for the paperwork we'll submit to the court), based on the number of trees cut down and the number of trees damaged beyond repair, and how old/well-tended those trees were, the value of the trees alone is more than i could sell all three houses for in the current housing market around here. Then the attorney started talking about how the damages are multiplied and let's just say I would be quite happy with half that number, but I know when to zip my lips so I'll let my attorneys handle the negotiating.

They did, in fact, destroy the houses as best they could. I have enough savings/inheritance left that I can live without the rents for a while, so I'm using it as an excuse to have both houses renovated since they haven't had major renovations since well before I was born.

The bride and groom got married and had their reception in the church basement instead of the cul-de-sac. They had to cancel the honeymoon to spend the money on legal fees. (Am I a bad person for being amused?)

Hurricane Michael just gave me some wild thunderstorms, thankfully passed over us with the worst of it.