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I'm in a predicament that has been ongoing for several years. My parents, who live outside of Birmingham, AL, have been in a zoning dispute that was started by two "neighbors" that live behind them. They had a business at one point and had LOTS of stuff around the house and yard. To comply with zoning ordnances, they've moved it away, but they've run into a problem. The two men that live behind them have political connections to the judge hearing their case and a county commissioner. The zoning inspector, a county employee, has consistently given them directions that he says will put them in compliance, but at each turn they are penalized in court for following his directions. The inspector has given them instructions that he KNEW would cause violations, has advised them to "sell cheap and move out", and now has told their attorney that he will swear out a warrant per day on my parents.
The judge on this case is prejudicial in favor of the "neighbors". In court, he often allows them to make outbursts, unsolicited testimony, insults toward my parents, and even has pre-hearing chambers meetings with them. In the meantime, my step-dad, a disabled VietNam veteran, has received a 30 day sentence for merely speaking out in his own defense. The judge has remanded my step dad and mom for custody several times in the county jail without allowing them to provide a shred of evidence in their defense. The entire process has been prejudicial and arbitrary with no semblance of rule of law. The judge, at every turn, has told my parents to "hire some damn Mexicans" to landscape their property. At this point, the county zoning inspector came over today and told my stepdad that he can have nothing in the driveway and that he was seeking an arrest warrant for both of my parents.
At this point, my parents have spent tens of thousands of dollars on trying to comply with their wishes. The judge took half of a $10K cash bond a few months ago and told my parents "that money's gone". Their attorney is doing all he can to try to start a civil motion, but at present, my parents are frightened for their safety. The two men who started this mess have both been cited for making violent threats to others, one was convicted for brandishing a gun on my parent's property. The local sheriff's deputies have warned my stepdad about the other man stating that he believed someone would be killed over this, but the deputy will do nothing. Their house and land is in a great area and I sincerely belive someone is trying to run them out to buy at a firesale rate. I've considered calling the ACLU on this, but I have no idea if the group would involve itself in such cases. Any suggestions?
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