A friend sent me this on FB this evening and I really didn't know what to tell her...

"my neighbor that doesn't like me called the cops and turned me in for shooting off illegal fireworks last night and the remnant left in her yard.   So since I refused to clean up her yard. I got charged with illegal fireworks and littering.   We never lit a single firework off it was all my neighbors.  I was wondering if I can get charged with this or not. If you would know what I should do?

The only proof he said he has is the leftover remains. That were in the street and her yard and supposedly my yard. He took pictures and some evidence."

Then apparently the cop said he could arrest her if she didn't go to his car to get her citation and that she would be billed by the city for the cleanup


She and her husband are in their 40s with 3 kids under 10yo
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basically I told her to speak with a lawyer tomorrow morning, possibly sue the neighbor for defamation (slander) and any expenses incurred also maybe teach them a lesson about frivolous claims and being a dick.

Is there really enough substantiating evidence here or is this gonna get thrown out the moment it gets to the judge?

A cop issued a citation for a "misdemeanor" and it wasn't seen in their presence.  Weird.  Any proof she detonated illegal fireworks, besides "he said she said"?  Cop may have just wrote a cite to appease the neighbor and expects it to get thrown out.  Notes on back of citation may help on why cop issued citation.  If report was written she should get a copy and then maybe consult attorney.

I think some pieces of this story are missing.

Call the chief or city attorney.


Good luck.

Unless I missed it, what was defamation to possibly sue over? Defamation requires your neighbor to communicate to a third party something that's not true that causes you social or monetary loss.

Like the above post, the citation is questionable and should talk to the chief.

I'm not saying this is the case but do you think your friend is 100% truthful?

I know people that say they left a employer because "my manager hates me", when in reality they were fired for aquiring alcohol for a minor.

So the "My neighbor hates me" raises a flag right away.

Just saying, must be more to the story.