Family Feud

I'm from Missouri. About a year and a half ago I moved in with my mother after her husband died. After a few months she began dating a man and moved in with him at his residence. On agreement with her landlord, I took over the rental property with my own month to month lease. Now for the dilemma...when my mother "moved", and I use that term loosely, it took her six weeks; she left property here that she did not want, including her dog, but that's another story. I got rid of the property that she left here. Now seven months later, she and I had an argument, and she is suing me in small claims court for, "the return of her possessions or their value." I have never received a letter of demand, nor did her complaint state exactly what it is she wants. She is trying to subpoena my minor son to testify..it's all terribly ugly. My question is, if she left these items here when she moved, can she now sue for their return or value?

My response:

Do you know the famous line from "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" ?

Badges? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges. I don't have to show you any stinkin' badges!

-- from The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

Same thing applies. She'll have the burden of proof that there was anything at all left in the premises after she moved. And then, she'll have to explain why she left the property there for so long. Let's face it, your premises is not a "storage unit".

Good luck.

IAAL