Legal Question in Personal Injury in New Jersey

Dangerous neighbor forced me to move out of my house

This is a very strange situation that I hope never happens to anyone else. 2 month ago I had a neighbor move in, immediately we could tell this was going to be a problem. this person has been declared mentally incompetent, and is a full time alcoholic. He had just been released from jail, where he was arrested for intentially using his car to bash someones car. the police violently took him away from his old house, he is dedicated to protecting himself from the police. He talks about the pending shoot out in the front yard where he is going to ''shoot the police right between the eyes this time'' He has an attack german shepard for protection, and has installed a $5000 surveillance system with cameras mounted all over the house. He says he has 10 guns loaded and ready to go. Recently his dog attacked my dog, and killed a cat. I told him that I worry about my 3 year old son, and he has made no attempt to control his dog. He has offered to have my children ''sleep over'' He is drunk all the time an pulls in and out of our shared driveway where my children play. the stories go on and on.. my wife and I have decided that our family is in imminent danger so we have moved to a hotel..where we now live. What am I to do? Please help.


Asked on 4/27/05, 12:55 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Adam L. Rothenberg Levinson Axelrod, P.C.

Re: Dangerous neighbor forced me to move out of my house

As a legal matter, there are few remedies unless there is a real threat that is overt. Moreover, as a practical matter, almost all remedies involve letting this potentially dangerous person know that you are potentially hostile to him.

Thus, as a practical matter I suggest you steer clear. If he is breaking a law that will put him in jail, away from you, then it may be something to contact the authorities. You may even ask the police to drive by on occasion based upon a vague threat, depending on the town.

Legally speaking, there is nothing that I would advocate at this time that was not, in my opinion, more liekly to cause more problems than it solves. I suggest that you get more than one oppinion on this touchy subject.

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Answered on 4/27/05, 2:30 pm


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