What Rove has Wrought in Alabama

Here is the nutshell version of what happened in my legal nightmare:

A "neighbor from hell" (NFH) moved next door to my wife and me in December 1998. The guy seemed disgruntled and/or harried from the outset. He immediately began to try to take over our property in a variety of ways. When we sought to enforce our property rights he sassed us and threatened to sue us. Along the way, he committed a crime on multiple occasions, even after receiving a warning letter from an attorney acquaintance of mine.

Finally, after consulting an attorney, we sought to have NFH prosecuted for the crime. That led to him suing me. (Yes, you heard that right. Being the victim of a crime can lead to you--the victim--being sued. More on that legal jewel coming later.)

NFH's case was worse than baseless (fraudulent would be a better term), and by law, it had to be dismisseed (summary judgment) in a matter of six to eight months. Almost any lawsuit, I discovered--even the worst kind--takes at least that long to be resolved.

But judges in Shelby County, Alabama, where we live (just south of Birmingham) repeatedly ruled contrary to clear law, causing the case to drag on for more than five years. It even went to trial, when by law, it could not go to trial. All of this cost me, my wife, and Alabama taxpayers thousands of dollars. (Many more details coming up.)

But what does this have to do with Karl Rove and his Alabama buddy, Bill Canary? The answer is coming up next.