Protection from harassment?

[Cheryn]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida

I have two daughters (age 17 and 18) and had shared custody with my ex when we got divorced some years ago. When I moved out of state, he was named primary since the girls wanted to stay with their schools and friends there.

During the divorce (it was nasty), his new girlfriend basically did everything she could to make my life miserable, trying to get me fired, making nasty phone calls, trying to make trouble among my friends, and all that. There were actually veiled and direct death threats, but I don't think she's serious - just a troublemaker who likes to talk. But it got to me so bad that I finally decided to move out of state and be near my family. I am in North Carolina now, but everything is in Florida, legally.

I guess things have been bad for my girls. The new girlfriend has decided she doesn't like them being there after all, and they are miserable now too. When I talked to a friend down there and ended up getting my old job offered back to me, they started begging me to move down there and let them live with me until they finish high school. I do miss my friends and my life down there, and I've been thinking of moving back, since that's my home.

I don;t think them living with me is going to be an issue with the ex. if nothing else, the youngest will be 18 soon and it's not really worth dragging through the courts at this point.

What DOES concern my girls, and me to a point as well, is that the girlfriend is basically nuts. The girls are afraid she'll try to ruin their lives just as she tried to ruin mine before. And I am not willing to deal with all the drama myself. I just want this woman OUT of my life if I move back, and I have no legal ties to her whatsoever, and we have nothing in common unless the girls want to visit their father (they don't need me involved to do that anymore).

I'm not sure if the girls will testify to any abuse they have suffered there. I wonder what options they (and I) have for protection, as far as something like a no-contact order? Of course, I have no domestic connection to the woman at all.

 

[Silverplum]

Please try again, and don't use the "Preview" function: it'll eat your post.

 

[Cheryn]

Please try again, and don't use the "Preview" function: it'll eat your post.

Thanks, that's what I did was "preview". I edited and put the info back.

 

[Silverplum]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida

I have two daughters (age 17 and 18) and had shared custody with my ex when we got divorced some years ago. When I moved out of state, he was named primary since the girls wanted to stay with their schools and friends there.

During the divorce (it was nasty), his new girlfriend basically did everything she could to make my life miserable, trying to get me fired, making nasty phone calls, trying to make trouble among my friends, and all that. There were actually veiled and direct death threats, but I don't think she's serious - just a troublemaker who likes to talk. But it got to me so bad that I finally decided to move out of state and be near my family. I am in North Carolina now, but everything is in Florida, legally.

I guess things have been bad for my girls. The new girlfriend has decided she doesn't like them being there after all, and they are miserable now too. When I talked to a friend down there and ended up getting my old job offered back to me, they started begging me to move down there and let them live with me until they finish high school. I do miss my friends and my life down there, and I've been thinking of moving back, since that's my home.

I don;t think them living with me is going to be an issue with the ex. if nothing else, the youngest will be 18 soon and it's not really worth dragging through the courts at this point.

What DOES concern my girls, and me to a point as well, is that the girlfriend is basically nuts. The girls are afraid she'll try to ruin their lives just as she tried to ruin mine before. And I am not willing to deal with all the drama myself. I just want this woman OUT of my life if I move back, and I have no legal ties to her whatsoever, and we have nothing in common unless the girls want to visit their father (they don't need me involved to do that anymore).

I'm not sure if the girls will testify to any abuse they have suffered there. I wonder what options they (and I) have for protection, as far as something like a no-contact order? Of course, I have no domestic connection to the woman at all.

From what I just read, to receive a restraining order in FL you must be in fear for your safety.

http://www.sheriff.org/safety/restrainingorders.cfm

She has no power other than what you give her. Don't take her calls, don't bother with her facebook page, don't engage.

I live in a big city, and never see people I don't want to see.

 

[Cheryn]

It said my reply would be posted after moderated, but since I still don't see it? ...

I wanted to thank you for your answer. That was pretty much my plan, to ignore things. Though given this person's need to control, might in fact just infuriate her and escalate the situation (it has in past).

I'm a big girl though, and I can handle it. I mainly just wanted to be able to reassure my daughter(s) that this can be dealt with. They are afraid of the situation.

It seems (on my behalf) I am dealing more with harassment/stalking type issues, from what I read, rather than domestic abuse, so perhaps I am asking in the wrong forum as well. There have been threats, but at this point I don't see them as credible.

I know there is a very good chance she will push at least an initial confrontation. At this point, my plan is to ask her to leave, not call, or whatever is needed depending on the means of contact. After that, if necessary, I guess I will report it to the authorities as a means of creating a paper trail in case I need to pursue harassment at some future date.

Hopefully we won't have to deal with the kinds of issues that came up before (false reporting and involving a wide range of third parties). But if we do, it quickly becomes apparent to most of them where the issue lies and what's really going on. I did it before, I can deal with it again.

Thanks again.